Absolutely!  If people can get deductions for having kids, why can’t I get deductions for my cats?  My cats are my kids.  In fact, my cats are better than most people’s kids.  They get great care from me, and they don’t use any public services so to speak.  They don’t go to school.  They don’t use the roads.  Where we have a problem is that people can’t be allowed to hoard animals in order to get more deductions and we’re not sure how well the animals are being treated.  In order to get deductions, I think you need to show that your pet is up to date on all their shots or vaccinations or that your pet gets their annual checkup with the vet.  Just as the government wants children to be well-cared for, they should also want pets to be well-cared for and treated humanely.

I’m going to digress here a bit and get on my soapbox.  I think most people know that I’m a huge animal lover.  I would love for our nation to have more concern for animal rights.  There are millions of abandoned and abused animals in this country.  Shelters euthanize animals by the scores simply because they can’t find them a home, yet we give real derelicts benefits for having more children.  Then we spend billions of taxpayer dollars helping people care for children they shouldn’t have had in the first place.  Shelter pets are like children.  They can’t care for themselves.  They can’t get jobs and support themselves.  They need our help.

I want every shelter pet to find a forever home and I want every animal to be treated with respect, love, and dignity.  So perhaps we frame this debate as part of the larger animal rights discussion.  There’s plenty of incentive for people to adopt a shelter pet.  These creatures can bring so much joy to your life, but it comes with a tremendous responsibility.  There are a lot of people who don’t adopt a shelter pet because they can’t afford it or can’t afford to keep them.  Let’s give people an incentive for rescuing a shelter pet.  If it comes in the form of tax breaks, so be it.  Let’s help people save these animals but make sure the animals get adopted into good homes.  Let pet guardians deduct the expenses of caring for their pets as long as their vet signs off that they have examined the animal and that it is being well cared for.

I’m very passionate about animals.  I’m sorry if I’ve digressed here.  This is a very important topic that we need to have a better conversation about in this country.  We animal lovers who are passionate about caring for abandoned animals and shelter pets often get labeled as kooks or extremists.  If that’s what people think of me, then so be it.  I’m going to keep fighting to end euthanizing animals in shelters and help every shelter pet find a forever home.

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