A Fair Chance at a Second Home

Elliot Trejo
Companion Animal Protection Act
Post 1

           
Each year, over 5 million animals are turned in to shelters all across the U.S. Out of those 5 million, only 1.5 million make it out alive. According to data compiled by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Born Free U.S.A. and Pet Finder, over 70 percent of animals that were placed in shelters ended up being euthanized. For the animals that do survive in the shelters live a life of pain and agony. Having to cram themselves into small enclosures, be around unclean surroundings, and are forced to experience lack of major medical care. Shelters have many “reasons” as to why they are forced to put beloved animals down and deny their mistreatment of their animals. Some claim that they do not have enough space, money, or volunteers to be able to provide adequate care to the animals they claim they love so much.

Recently, there have been many cases and reports of animal abuse and neglect in these same shelters that are sworn to protect them. One of these incidents happened in Houston, involving a severely injured Bassett Hound named Hope. Unfortunately for Hope, the laws regarding stray animals in Harris County did not allow her to be given medical treatment right away, and she needed to live in a kennel for three days without proper medical attention or adequate food or water. In Texas, each county has its own set of laws instead of a unified set of rules and regulations. Hope's story shows that there are problems within the animal control system and there needs to be legislative action to correct these problems while also saving money. This is where the Companion Animal Protection Act (or CAPA), comes into play.

CAPA has been passed in several states such as Delaware, and now it is making its way into Texas. The bill offers simple, yet effective rules and regulations to ensure that each and every single animal that is brought into the shelter has a fair chance at life and that their lives in the shelters will be safe, clean, and well taken care of. Contrary to critical opposition, CAPA actually saves tax payer money and is much cheaper than to simply kill an animal. It provides a unified, simple approach to a patch-worked, complex problem.

To read a full or modified version of CAPA, click Here and then click on the CAPA tab, then click on either the "full" or "modified version" of CAPA to download the bill.