Distemper Tantrum

On the blog Texas My Texas, Hallie Lane discussed the recent euthanization of more than 40 dogs due to an outbreak of distemper in Bastrop, Texas.  The shelter was forced to close for a period of time and could not accept more animals.  The Bastrop County Animal Shelter certainly did a commendable job when discovering distemper at their shelter.  Although it truly is sad that so many animals had to be euthanized, it certainly prevented a more significant crisis in the area. 

The saddest part to me is the fact that this issue could have been avoided entirely if people took better care of their animals.  Bastrop County Animal Services Director Erica Thompson indicated that this type of outbreak will happen again if the community doesn’t do its part.  In a Time Warner Cable News story, Director Thompson stated “Whoever owns these animals out in the community are not taking care of them properly.  They need to keep them on their property, they need to get them vaccinated and keep their vaccinations current and get them spayed and neutered so they're not wandering around; otherwise, shelters will always be facing these issues.”

It is undeniable that health care for humans can be expensive, and even more so for the care of their animals.  However, one of the responsibilities for owning a pet is caring for their health and protecting the community from animal-borne diseases such as rabies and distemper.  Additionally, animals that are at not spayed/neutered intensify the problem by increasing the population of unwanted or feral animals. 

My dog, Charlie

Often, veterinary clinics and even pet stores offer lower priced vaccinations to prevent outbreaks of diseases.  Dogs and cats can also be spayed or neutered at a discounted rate at some clinics.  People should take the time to ensure that their animals are protected.  Many programs have been developed to make the basic care of pets more accessible and more affordable.  People just are not always doing the responsible thing and actually taking care of their pets.