Hello. My name is Connor Nolt. I am a seventh grader at Summit Middle School.

I am writing to address an important issue that affects our community. The issue is pet abandonment. People abandon pets for many reasons. For example, people may not have enough time or can not afford food/medication for their pet. Sometimes something happens in the person’s life, like they have a baby, a divorce or maybe the person has to move somewhere that doesn’t allow pets. Occasionally, people get allergies. Maybe their pet has behavioral issues. It may be mean or attack an animal or person. Sometimes the person doesn’t know how to take care of it or gets bored of having the pet. 

If you can’t take care of your pet, don’t abandon them, get help. Abandoned pets face many challenges. They can get hypothermia, starve to death, die of dehydration or get sick and die from what they find to eat. These animals can get lost. They can get hit by a car. The animals can get killed or injured by another animal. They can also get lonely, depressed, sad, stressed and scared if you abandon them.

Please realize even if you take them to the shelter, they may still be sad, but they have a better chance of an improved life. If you are going to get rid of your pet, please don’t abandon it. Take it to a good shelter like the Summit County Animal Control Shelter, 58 Nancy’s Place, Frisco. Hopefully they will get adopted and live a better life instead of abandoning them to die.