Pets are some of the key pieces missing in a family. The unconditional love they bring is just what everyone needs after a long day of work or school, and honestly they make some of the best cuddle buddies anyone can find. The soft little snores when they sleep, the pure excitement and thrill they have in their eyes when you play with them, and the way they are genuinely happy to see you after you come back home, even if you only stepped out for five minutes are some of the biggest highlights of having a furry friend. Treat them with love and respect, and they will undoubtedly do the same to you, and return the favor a hundred times over. Unfortunately, some families do not have the ability to care for pets the way they deserve, or the pet runs away and despite the best efforts, are not found. They may end up at a variety of places, including another family, but a good number do end up in animal shelters.
Now, the reputation of animal shelters to some may not be the most positive, but the motto of all of them is kindness above all. Ideally, they embody the ethical and moral responsibility we have towards animals, and can provide immediate relief to animals in distress. In short, shelters are sanctuaries for abused, neglected, or abandoned pets who's job is to do their best to give those animals a better life. Unfortunately, the conditions in some of these shelters are not the best, and many suffer from overcrowding and rampant illness. It is because of this that we as a society should put more care into animal shelters and animals in general because both can be seen as an important educational platform for animal ownership and responsible behavior, while simultaneously acting as the signal of the community's moral compass. More importantly, they push informed ownership and prioritize adopting over buying, promoting a culture of animal care that values compassion and responsibility over exploitation and abuse, and not putting in work to improve animal shelters can mean condemning the lives of all the potential pets and animals within.
A small way we can improve the quality of animal shelters is by donating or volunteering. The big improvements must come from the hearts of city governments, and luckily Henderson, Nevada is soliciting responses from qualified construction managers of contractors to renovate the existing City of Henderson Animal Care and Control Building. This includes work that will include the addition of a new adoption center, a quarantine area for dogs and cats to limit the spread of illnesses, renovations to the north and east kennel wings, and the expansion of the existing medical area. These additions will improve the quality of life of the animals and shows a high level of care on the part of the city. The care we give to animals is a key aspect of humanity, one that reflects our commitment to love and empathy and reflects the best of who we are as a species, and in a world with so much tragedy it is vital that we do our best to remind ourselves of the good that we can do. If interested in improving the living conditions of our furry friend, click here to learn more or contact Luke Fritz at Luke.Fritz@cityofhenderson.com or 702-267-1717. The bid due date is September 10 at 12:00 PM PDT.