For 35 years at the close of “The Price Is Right,” Bob Barker the host said please spay-neuter your pets. He donated 25 million to the cause in his beloved wife’s name.

Last month another 49 dogs were killed at the Moultrie Humane Society as since last September it turned from a no-kill facility. You can get the number killed since then from the director, mostly a space factor. The number of dogs killed has increased not decreased due to few adoptions in the community and pet over-population due to poor parenting not getting them spay or neutered.

Last year I took 50 kittens off the streets of Moultrie, drove them 6 hours one way to put them in a no kill facility and they were all adopted within 10 days as the Moultrie Humane Society was always full and saw many people with boxes of them being turned away due to no room. I would hate to think what happened to them as a result of it. Unfortunately this year rescues are fuller than ever and adoptions slower than ever but the tremendous pet over-population continues.

This year I took 30 kittens off the street with fewer places that could take them for adoption. Free is not an option as most things free are of little or no value — end up left behind having a litter of kittens every 4 months. Some having a cruel death-illness or get chewed up by dogs or hit by cars — as dogs-puppies-cats-kittens constantly line our streets on a daily basis.

The only solution is to spay-neuter your pet so shelters do not have to kill them — some so sick by the time they get there die and a lot still being killed due to simple lack of space. A Humane Society does not kill unless the animal is seriously injured or of such poor health or bad behavior which only exists out of fear, having to fight on the streets or defend itself from the hands of the abuser.

If you see something do something. I see countless skinny dogs chained to fences-trees-no food-no water and no one doing anything about it when you call them. Why not? Isn’t that what we call cruelty-abuse-neglect???? I think we do and the laws are there to protect them but too many just turn the cheek and look the other way even at the 9 puppies born in the rain-cold-wet floor of a vacant building.

In order to become a Humane Society we have to become a more Humane Society ourselves by preventing these animals being killed simply because of being born and no one wanting them. No one person can possibly take care of them all, but if we work together collectively as a community or as a society we can make a difference simply by spaying-neutering your pets. It’s now the same cost as an oil change at SGA in Thomasville. Accept the things you cannot change-do not accept the things you can. Give up that 1 pack of cigs, 1 cup of Starbucks or 1 beer a day for one month. Save lives.

Helene Gomulka

Moultrie