Many factors contribute to an animal's placement with animal control or in a shelter.

The lack of spaying and neutering a pet is the biggest problem when it comes to overpopulation of pets. Misinformation and fear leave individuals hesitant to seek help when they find an animal has given birth to babies. When those babies grow and go into heat, they run for the streets and animal control is called.

Additionally, many people are being forced to surrender the animals they love as a result of the current economic difficulties.

Helping people rehome their pets requires more resources and care. When people move to places where landlords don't allow pets, the animals are either surrendered to animal shelters or picked up by animal control for being abandoned.

 

Many decent pet parents may be unable to aid their animals due to a lack of financial resources, therefore they are hesitant to getting them spayed or neutered or they choose to surrender their pets.

 

Additionally lack of education on how to be a good pet parent, leads to Animal sanctuaries and shelters everywhere are begging for help! During the pandemic shelters couldn't receive the volunteer support, or fundraiser campaigns they thrive on to keep them a float. Services across the nation were suspended during the pandemic and many pet parents couldn't get their pets spayed or neutered. Thus the nation is experiencing a boom in over pet population. Many shelters and sanctuaries are at capacity and they are doing the best they can to keep up with the need.

 

Several of my social impact partners are utilizing their own homes and funds to help solve this heartbreaking problem.

(Click on the pictures below for links to news stories.)

Since I was little I had a lot of empathy for animals. I was very interested in their care and ability to heal human heartache.

 

Animals are so curious and intelligent. You can learn a lot from sitting with an animal for just a little while.

 

When my little brother experienced a serious medical event at the age of two, our pets stayed by our side and gave my family the emotional support we needed to get by.

I believe we take for granted the power of positive things that happen when you welcome your home to animal adoption.

 

 

Every year, overcrowded shelters take in millions of stray, abused, and lost animals.

Adopting an animal frees up space for others to receive a fighting chance. You're not only giving more animals a second opportunity, but the money you spend on adoption goes directly to helping those shelters to better care for the animals they take in!

Keep in mind when you adopt a pet, you are actually saving two lives because you make space for another pet to get a second chance.

 

For those who cannot adopt, there are still excellent ways in helping support the crisis in shelters. Volunteerism, education, funding, and tangible donations are all powerful ways to make the difference of a lifetime for an animal. An animal in need is a friend indeed! Take the initiative to support your local animal shelter today!

 

Americans pay $1.5 billion each year for animal control to help with pet overpopulation.

• Did you know that according to the ASPCA that approximately 40% of dog owners and 46% of cat owners learned about their pet through word of mouth? Imagine the multitude of adoptions that could be made possible if we increased awareness and provided shelters with powerful connections to adoptees!

• According to the Humane Society of the United States 19 million pets are living in underserved communities. 88% of those animals are not spayed or neutered and 69% of those animals have never seen a veterinarian.

• In some regions of the United States 50-75% of the shelter population is cats. The biggest reason for animal abandonment is due to behavior issues that can easily be resolved through positive reinforcement training and education. What can you do today to make a positive impact?

If you haven't heard of Sunflower Princesses then you are missing out! I had the honor of being Krystian Fish's Sunflower princess in the years 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

During that time, I had the opportunity to meet some exciting people and make a lot of new friends!

Each year, I raised my own money for the Miss Kansas Organization by selling lemonade.

I loved being a part of Miss Kansas because it always fell on my birthday.

I loved bringing sunflower cupcakes to all the Miss Kansas contestants and wishing them good luck.

I loved sharing with other little girls my age about the Miss Kansas Sunflower Princess Program and encouraging them to join me.

I even had the honor of donating two of my dresses, a plaque, and my crown to the Pratt County Historical Museum. I believe the Sunflower Princess program taught me that girls really can make their voices heard in powerful and amazing ways!

If you know of anyone who could benefit from the Sunflower Princess Mentoring Program, send them my way!

I'd love to share more with you!

https://www.misskansas.org/sunflower/be-a-sunflower.html