For years people have been suffering through the long depress- ing commercials depicting lonely pets yearning for adoption.

During the Fall 2011 quarter the newly founded Vet-Tech pro- gram took in 18 dogs and 14 cats that they have been caring for since.

Unfortunately the program does not continue into the sum- mer and the animals must find more permanent homes. But what is concerning about this plan is: what if they don’t find homes?

The program is under the assumption that they can find 22 students who are financially capable of housing a pet, whom also must want a pet, likely do not already own a pet and will cough up the $25 transferable owner fee.

Now if 4 million cats and dogs are put down every year because they are not adopted from a shelter, then how many will actually be adopted from the smaller pool of students at Pierce College?

Many pets are often the off- spring of pets who do have homes but the family cannot take on the challenge of taking care of

so many more so they are sent to a shelter. This means less families capable of adopting these neglected animals.

Most people who are looking for that family friend have either already taken the initiative to do so or are financially incapable of taking on a pet just yet which makes it again even harder for these pets to acquire homes.

Although the Vet-Tech pro- gram is charging this $25 fee they have also provided numerous services free of charge where the adopter would have spent loads more to properly take care of their new animal.

The cats and dogs are spayed and neutered, have all their vaccinations up to date, have had a recent dental cleaning, and have those nifty microchip implants to help find them if they run away.

These cats and dogs have also been well socialized by the Vet- Tech team. So the Vet-Tech pro- gram isn’t completely cheating you out of $25.

In any case, even if you’re not looking to adopt right now, talk to your friends and maybe you can save a pet from being euthanized.