Last Saturday I had just come in from cleaning up the yard after Thursday’s hail storm when the phone rang. It was one of my best friend’s daughter and she was bubbling over with excitement.

“Cookie,” she exclaimed, “you’ll never believe what’s just happened!”

“Tell me,” I said.

“You know that stray cat that comes around our house sometimes,” she asked. “Well, it’s on our back porch in a potted plant and it has a baby! I’m afraid that if I go near her she’ll run off and leave her baby but I want to make sure she’s okay. Can you come over and help?”

Of course I threw off my gardening gloves and went straight over. I checked the cat to make sure there were no more kittens in her and we put her and the baby on a kitty bed with some food and water near by. We talked about spaying the mother and baby and how lucky they were that the cat (now named Muffin) only had one kitten. They are choosing to keep them both, a happy ending all around.

This time of year is known to Animal Control Officers as puppy and kitten season. Every day animal shelters across the country brace themselves for the daily onslaught of unwanted and often sickly litters brought in by the public. At our local shelter they are already receiving up to four litters a day, and that number will only increase through the month of May.

Why so many unwanted litters?

Many pet owners want to breed their purebred dog or cat “just one time" so their children can see the process (and to pay for their vacation to Disney World). What they don’t realize because of their inexperience is that an animal in heat will attract their male counterparts from MILES away. A dog will do most anything to get over a fence to mate with a female and unless a cat in heat is kept inside 24/7 it absolutely will be bred. What a surprise the family will have when their beautiful golden retriever gives birth to a colorful mix of puppies that look nothing like her, but amazingly like their neighbor’s Pit Bull or something they don’t even recognize. Nine times out of ten, that litter ends up at the animal shelter.

Then there are the “professional breeders.” The kind that give reputable, dedicated breeders a bad name. These can consist of back yard breeders or full blown Puppy Mills. Their dogs or cats have litter after litter only to be sold through ads in the paper, the Walmart parking lot or trade day events. The pups and kitties that aren’t sold - for whatever reason - are brought to the shelter.

Finally, there are all the stray cats and dogs running amuck. Meanwhile, animal shelters across the country are forced to euthanize at an alarming rate just to make room for these litters. It’s unfair and inhumane.

But there’s good news. You can help!

Spay or neuter your pet. Your pet will reap the benefits. For instance, neutering a male dog will afford him a significant degree of protection against a number of illnesses later in life. It may also make him less likely to roam and less aggressive with other males. Otherwise his personality will not be changed – he’ll be the same sweet guy or big goofball he was before the procedure.

Adopt your next pet from the animal shelter. If you’re patient and do your homework you can find the perfect pet for your family and it’s much more affordable than going elsewhere. One price includes shots, spay/neuter and a microchip.

If you absolutely insist in buying elsewhere, avoid pet stores because they are stocked with pets from Puppy Mills. Look for a reputable breeder. The American Kennel Club website (www.akc.org) has a list of breeders and breed clubs in your area that are dedicated to the welfare of their dogs. They will only have litters of puppies in order to better the breed. They will show you the mother and father of the puppy/kitten, and should be able to explain why this breeding was allowed. This breeder will also ask you to sign a contract stating that if the quality of the dog is not up to the highest standard of the breed, you will have it spayed or neutered; and if the dog does not work out for any reason you can bring the dog/cat back to them.

As I said earlier, Muffin and her tiny baby got lucky. Sadly, that’s not the case for most and only the public can turn this around for the innocent animals that through no fault of their own are destined for death.