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Imagine living in a city where cats roamed free, chasing away birds in your backyard, digging through your flowerbeds and screeching by the numbers outside your window during the summer heat.
Unfortunately, this could become a reality for residents in the city of Dodgeville.
Last week, the Dodgeville city council revisited their stray animal contract with the Iowa County Humane Society. According to the revised contract they approved on Tuesday, the city of Dodgeville does not have to house stray cats, only dogs, under their animal control.
Even if the city decided to include cats in the stray animal contract, the Iowa County Humane Society has little room to hold the growing number of cats that are being turned into their facility.
Now, I'd like to consider myself a responsible pet owner. I am the owner of a fat, fluffy, pink-nosed cat. I've had him for a little over two years and keep him inside. Because of his sassy cat personality, I expect him to live another ten years at least.
I wish pet owners would realize the commitment they are making when adopting an animal into their family. It has become fairly obvious that some pet owners in Dodgeville don't think that far ahead.
I know it may be hard to think ahead when you're gazing into the eyes of the world's cutest kitten, but residents really do need to consider if they will be able to commit several years of their lives to caring for a cat, who after a year or two, may no longer be the cuddly kitten they picked out of the litter.
If you find you can no longer care for your cat or any pet you've adopted, you need to have a plan as to where that animal can go. And no, you cannot just throw it outside and hope it can fend for itself or that the city, Humane Society or someone else will take it in.
The bottom line here is that it is not the city's responsibility to take care of your animals or find homes for them when you've seemingly decided to give up caring for them. It is your responsibility as a pet owner.
To all the responsible pet owners in Dodgeville, I commend you for understanding the commitment it takes. If you do not want to make that commitment, DO NOT get a pet!