First and foremost, evacuate the stray dogs

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against animal shelters. We got our cat from a shelter, and were happy to rescue her from... um, death, I think. In the end, we're both better off. And now we can tell everyone we meet (with a hint of pride): "She's a rescue cat."   

Not only do shelters give us an opportunity to own a pet that's no longer able to reproduce, they actually play a useful role, in fact their primary role – to rid our streets of stray animals. 

Dogs roaming the streets are not just an annoyance, but a real safety issue in less developed countries and even in Canada. This spring a 24-year-old woman from northern Manitoba was tragically mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs. It shouldn't shock us that a dog cull was announced in response to her death, but it might. It's an issue we have trouble relating to. 

We love our animals. And our pets are becoming more and more human. It's to the point where they demand the same care and attention as children. To many adults, they are their children. 

While watching the news stories on Hurricane Harvey, I came to realize that we are a society that is inundated with pets. Image after image showed people and their pets seeking safety; kennels and cages nestled on top of flotation devices while their human masters (and children) waded through waist-high waters. 

Of course I would do the same. I couldn't leave my rescue cat to drown or starve while I seek refuge!

We care for our animals. But is it too much? Do we ever go too far?

I just read that an animal shelter in Florida flew 40 rescue dogs to New York on a private plane to remove them from harm's way – that being Hurricane Irma. That's right, a private plane. While humans are hoping to get at least a seat in economy to escape the coming storm, stray dogs are flying on their own private jets.

The article goes on to say that 60 dogs were rescued by the same organization from the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey the previous week. These dogs are now awaiting adoption in a 33-acre rescue centre in... I'm afraid to say, Florida. But not to worry, as the dogs are safely "housed in air-conditioned bunkhouses that are fitted with hurricane-impact glass built to withstand 200-mile-an-hour winds."  

I suppose the rich can do whatever they want with their stray dogs, but it does speak to our world's vast inequality. While some communities are trying to cull strays out of self-preservation, others are flying them on private jets across the country. 

I presume it's a no-kill shelter.