6 June 13 • 2019
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guest column
Animal Shelters Face Complex Challenges
W

ithin the first chapters of 
the Torah, Judaism teaches 
the connection between 
human beings and animals, and 
imposes upon us a mandate to relieve 
the suffering of ani-
mals — the mitzvah of 
Tza’
ar Ba’
alei Chayim. 
The role of animal 
shelters is precisely 
that — to relieve the 
suffering of animals. 
Unfortunately, the 
need for their services 
is tremendous. Animal shelters face 
a multitude of complex challenges 
that can vary according to location 
and demographics; however, most 
are rooted in inadequate funding to 
support their work of providing safe 
refuge and care for unwanted animals. 
An animal shelter may be a local 
government-owned animal control 
department funded by tax-payer dol-
lars, or it may be a nonprofit organi-
zation operating entirely on the dona-
tions of its supporters. In either case, 
the dollars they receive are frequently 
insufficient to meet the demands for 
their services. 
Adoption fees cover only a small 

percentage of the cost of providing 
care to an individual animal, many 
of whom arrive in desperate need of 
medical services due to injury, abuse 
or neglect. 
Therefore, it is often necessary for 
an animal shelter to strike a balance 
between the number of animals that 
can be properly cared for and keep-
ing the doors open. Funding directly 
impacts even the most well-inten-
tioned shelter’
s ability to provide 
quality care to animals in need. Tight 
budgets translate to limited kennel 
space, limited staff, limited medical 
care and limited volunteer training. 
Many shelters have to make painfully 
difficult decisions as to the number 
of animals they can house at any one 
time, the number of staff they can pay 
and the extent of the services they can 
offer. 
Because of budget limitations, the 
wages of animal welfare workers tend 
to be modest. Yet it is critical that 
an animal shelter hire dedicated and 
compassionate staff. These women 
and men witness firsthand the dev-
astating consequences of the cruelty 
animals suffer at the hands of human-
kind. The plight of unwanted and 

suffering animals is heartbreaking, 
and providing safety and nurturing to 
hundreds of animals each year — the 
mitzvah of Tza’
ar Ba’
alei Chayim — 
exacts an emotional and physical toll 
on staff. Care must be taken to detect 
and prevent “compassion burnout” 
among shelter workers. 
Animal overpopulation caused by 
an unwillingness of pet owners to 
spay or neuter their animals com-
pounds the challenges of animal shel-
ters. “Accidental” or careless breeding 
leads to unwanted animals, abused 
and neglected animals and, conse-
quently, overcrowded shelters. 
While animal adoptions help alle-
viate overcrowding, people can be 
reluctant to visit and adopt a shelter 
animal, concerned that the experience 
will be sad or that they will be adopt-
ing “someone else’
s problems.” In 
fact, purchasing an animal from pet 
stores or breeders of questionable cre-
dentials carries similar risks as those 
animals may be physically or mentally 
unsound because of profit-driven 
breeding. 
Of course, with any animal there 
will be unknown variables — each has 
its own personality and some charac-

teristics may not appear until they’
re 
comfortably ensconced in your house-
hold — but a well-run animal shelter 
will be especially mindful of match-
ing the proper animal to the proper 
home, taking the time to ensure a 
good fit. 
In the words of British author 
Karen Davison: “Saving one dog will 
not change the world, but surely for 
that one dog, the world will change 
forever.” Ditto cats. 
So, what can you do to fulfill the mitz-
vah of Tza’
ar Ba’
alei Chayim? Donate! 
Adopt or foster a shelter pet! Volunteer 
(good for your soul and helps reduce 
costs)! And … again … donate! ■

Cindy Howard is president of the nonprofit 

Michigan Animal Rescue League in Pontiac 

and resides in West Bloomfield with her 

husband, Barry, and their three dogs. 

Cindy Howard

CORRECTION:
In “
A New Home” (page 26, June 6), 
Henry Ford College is where JET’
s 
actors rehearsed for the first show 
of the season. The name Henry 
Ford Community College is no lon-
ger used. 

