Disposable Dogs: The Public Administration Challenge

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Joe Jarret
August 2, 2024

The Challenge

Whether we are practicing public administrators or teaching the public administrator’s craft to future public administrators, it’s axiomatic that we’re part of a profession that is dedicated to overseeing the day-to-day operations of government agencies, ensuring efficient delivery of public services, as well as evaluating and developing policies to address societal issues. Over the years I have read some incredible articles in PA TIMES dedicated to the service and protection of the general citizenry. So why, with all of the challenges and woes facing people today, am I inclined to pen a piece about animals in general and dogs in particular? It is simple: Pet rescue groups, animal shelters and animal control officers are reporting that more pets are being abandoned than ever before. This phenomenon poses unique challenges for today’s public administrator.

It can be argued that the abandonment of dogs is a moral as well as a health (Think rabies or the parvo virus), crisis for any community. During the 1916 polio epidemic which ultimately infected thousands of people, one New York physician lamented, “We have learned very little that is new about the disease, but much that is old about ourselves.” It can be argued that this sorrowful observation can be applied to our own time’s abuse, neglect and abandonment of the animals that look to us for their care, treatment, sustenance and love.

Basic Facts

There were roughly 85.8 million domestic cats and 78 million domestic dogs in the United States as of 2022-2023, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Within that group, approximately 6.3 million enter U.S. shelters every year—3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats. Roughly 920,000 of these shelter animals are euthanized (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats). Pet abandonment can typically be defined as leaving domestic animals alone at some kind of private or public property in a way that could physically or emotionally harm it, sometimes with or without the intent to ever reclaim it. This practice has become an epidemic. People are increasing abandoning animals, not merely at shelters or animal control facilities, but in parks, fields, forests, service stations, etc. Pet rescue groups say that more pets are being abandoned due to the Covid pandemic.

Life for these stray animals is extremely difficult. They are vulnerable to diseases and infectious parasites, often attacked by both humans and other animals and are frequently run over by cars. In addition to being vulnerable to the elements like hot and cold weather, these animals are also prone to accidentally harming themselves by eating and drinking substances that are dangerous to them.

The Law

There exists a hodgepodge of laws across the fifty states regarding the abandonment of animals. Presently, 31 states have laws that either prohibit leaving an animal in a confined vehicle under dangerous conditions or provide civil immunity (protection from being sued) for a person who rescues a distressed animal from a vehicle. In nearly all 50 states, “abandoning” an animal is classified as animal abuse, a criminal offense. In the state of Massachusetts, for example, it’s considered a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $2,500. In Arkansas, depending on the specific circumstances and the level of “cruelty” involved in how you treat or abandon your animal, the charge will range from a misdemeanor to a Class D felony with a possible six-year prison sentence and $10,000 fine. In most states, however, the abandonment of a domesticated animal is a misdemeanor that merely carries a small fine.

Why this epidemic of so many abandoned dogs?

There are several reasons why we are seeing so many abandoned dogs in the United States. Some of the more common reasons follow:

Lack of education about responsible pet ownership: Many people may not have access to or be aware of information about how to properly care for and train a pet. This can lead to behaviors such as not spaying or neutering their pets, not providing adequate food and shelter and not socializing their pets properly.

Impulse buying and breed fads: Some people may buy a pet on impulse without fully considering the long-term responsibilities of pet ownership. Additionally, certain breeds may become popular due to media exposure or social trends, leading to an increase in demand for these breeds. When the novelty wears off or when the pet becomes too much to handle, the animal becomes a burden.

Financial difficulties: Caring for a pet can be expensive, and some people may not be able to afford the costs associated with pet ownership, such as veterinary care and food. This factor has been exacerbated by the Covid epidemic and its aftermath. Further, moving to a new home or city that does not allow pets is also a factor.

What’s a Public Administrator to Do?

Like any crisis facing a community, public administrators have the duty and responsibility to educate the citizenry they serve. This can be done by holding seminars or town hall meetings, live or virtual, designed to inform people they have a choice beyond abandoning their pet in places that will almost guarantee their demise. For instance, people should be instructed to call their local animal control facility, a local shelter or an animal rescue group before abandoning their pet. If it is late and after hours for any of these organizations, they can, as a last result, call the non-emergency phone number for their local police department. None of the above options are so intrusive or difficult that a citizen feels compelled to dump a dog on the side of the road instead of driving the extra mile to a place that will keep the animal safe from harm. Yes, we are facing far too many crises that directly impact our vulnerable citizens, but I don’t think it’s too much to ask to protect those creatures that love us unconditionally.

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Author: Dr. Joseph G. Jarret is a public sector manager, attorney and mediator who has served four different local government entities as chief legal counsel and who lectures full-time on behalf of the Master of Public Policy and Administration program in the Department of Political Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a former United States Army Armored Cavalry Officer with service overseas, and is a  recipient of the Gordon Johnston Award for Excellence in Public Management, and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Public Administration, a Juris Doctorate, and the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Tennessee. 

 

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