DEAR DR. FOX: I am a regular reader of your column. Because I have worked for a veterinarian for 13 years, I find your ideas both interesting and useful in our clinic.

I have been a volunteer at my local animal shelter -- a county-operated one, in a small state -- for 25 years. We must accept all strays, turn-ins, ferals, etc., from anyone who lives in our county. We are open seven days a week, and while we do have bona fide “hours of operation,” those go by the wayside daily because there is so much that doesn’t get done by the end of the workday.

We never have enough money, personnel, volunteers, foster families or fundraisers. Although this shelter is county-operated, the budget for animal welfare is very small. Usually, the money allotted for medical care has run out by February or March, so we try to raise funds any way we can. Then the county residents get resentful because they think that their taxes should already pay for everything.

When you write that most animals entering a shelter need quiet quarantine rooms and should not be confined to a small cage, I am not sure you know the nature of a crowded animal shelter. How can we provide any more than we already do? THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH OF ANYTHING, and we don’t have enough people to help us. The turnover of paid help and volunteers is enormous because of the stress and sheer volume of the daily work. I have spent an entire day just doing laundry. It never ends.

What I would like you to know is that shelters all over the country are having the same issues. It usually boils down to lack of money. What I would like you to do is to give some solutions to these problems, instead of drawing attention to problems that will keep people from checking out shelters for adoptable animals because they are afraid of what they might see.

We are doing a marvelous job with what we have; our animals are safe, warm, fed, watered and exercised as much as possible. But it is not easy; I hope you will bring that out in a future column. -- J.O., Stevensville, Maryland

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for writing about what a shelter should do to enhance the adoptability of its animals.

It would be even better if shelters could find a way to minimize disease; newly adopted dogs frequently have “kennel cough” or worse, and cannot show their true personalities because they are sick.

You are so right about TNR, which turns its back on cats so that TNR advocates can feel good about themselves. They won’t acknowledge pictures of starved, maimed, diseased, injured and dead cats that are victims of the concept. As for no-kill shelters, they often flaunt the term, and some of them warehouse animals, but many also ship animals they don’t adopt to another facility that euthanizes them.

The other flaw of the no-kill movement is that it endorses adoptions to practically anyone who knows how to fill out an adoption application, often with omissions and falsehoods. People then surrender these pets back to the shelter because “he didn’t know how to behave” or “he got sick,” and then ask to see other ones. Home visits are not conducted to educate pending adopters on successful transitional techniques and how to work through inevitable problems. Most public and private shelters/rescues do not choose to meaningfully screen and educate adopters, because their marching orders are to get these hapless animals “adopted.” Even some private rescue organizations have succumbed to handing out animals. Thus, these animals are really “sold” for fee generation, and often pay a terrible price.

Rehabilitating and nurturing shelter animals would save more of them, but why bother if the animals are being shoveled out the door or handed over to someone who has an irresponsible attitude toward defenseless pets? In my mind, euthanasia is a better alternative to a life of hell. I believe there are far more adoptable pets than responsible pet owners.

Please do not use my name, as I have been in the rescue business for 15 years and have been attacked by people who don’t like it when I stand up for animals and tell the truth.

Thank you for your relentless efforts on the behalf of animals. -- [Name withheld], Rockville, Maryland

DEAR J.O. and [name]: I am glad that some of my column advice is helpful to the veterinary hospital where you work, J.O., since the column gives me a “wide angle” view of the major health and behavioral issues affecting dogs and cats.

And “name withheld,” thank you for sharing your experience from working in the trenches of animal rescue and sheltering.

I do hope readers will appreciate your observations from working in your local animal shelters; blessings to you both for doing so. I wish more people -- especially active, healthy retirees (to hell with the next cruise vacation! Think of the animals!) -- would volunteer. Come and socialize the resident animals. Raise funds to pay for more trained staff. Get old blankets, towels and other supplies for local shelters.

Now is the season of giving, and I urge all people to consider donating first to their local animal shelters, which should have nonprofit 501(c)(3) status with the IRS -- so donations are tax-deductible -- as well as an open-door policy for visitors to come and see everything. Better to start locally rather than donating to the well-heeled national organizations, whose big money doesn’t always get down to the local communities. This may actually turn off potential donors to local shelters, thinking that the problems are being cared for by the larger organizations who have the money to buy TV advertising time. We need both -- national appeals and grassroots activism and involvement -- plus more dollars coming from the municipal coffers.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I recently met a brilliant student and animal rehab worker, who said she has heard from hunters that animals don’t feel pain the way people do.

I remember you sending me very quotable words on that subject, but can’t find it just now. I wanted to pass those words on to the student I met, and also have them available to quote in the book I’m writing about my field studies of bears. Do you still have those lines you sent me previously, or could you send them again? -- L.R., Ely, Minnesota

DEAR L.R.: I, and many others, will certainly enjoy your book about your dedicated field studies of the bears in the north woods of Minnesota when it is published.

The belief that other animals do not feel pain like humans do is patently absurd. This is probably a form of denial to allow hunters not to feel guilt or remorse from taking another’s life. Just in Minnesota this season, some 250,000 hunters of white-tailed deer will “harvest” up to a third of the million deer that currently overpopulate the state. By contrast, for traditional indigenous and native American subsistence-hunters, killing is a sacred, solemn ritual involving deep respect and gratitude. I wonder how often such sentiments and ethics are passed on by non-native people to younger generations.

All mammals, the class to which we belong, feel pain as a natural mechanism to avoid physical injury. Individuals have different pain thresholds, be they humans or dogs, deer or deer mice. But we share the same neural pathways that mediate the pain response from receptors in the skin, joints and various internal organs and linings of the body.

Natural opiates may be released following injury to reduce the intensity of pain -- even in earthworms -- and to facilitate escape and recovery. The adrenal glands produce a surge of adrenaline, noradrenaline and corticosteroids following injury and stress/distress. These glands, and the central (cognitive) nervous system, are intimately linked with the nociceptive (pain-response) system, and they are associated with the fright, flight or fight response. They are also linked with alarm signals (visual, auditory and scent) to others and, in some instances, with catatonia (“playing ‘possum”) -- a freezing response of immobility that may help avoid predators. This is seen in some people who are “paralyzed” by fear.

If I were a hunter, I would follow the native American teaching to all young hunters: Kill the deer (or other food-prey) swiftly, with one arrow, otherwise you would be feeding the animal’s fear to your family. All hunters should be concerned about animals’ fear. Indeed, animals that are stressed and fearful prior to slaughter have poor meat quality, sometimes called “slimy pork” and “dark-cutting beef” by the meat industry. In Japan, I learned that fish gourmets can taste the difference between a fish that was caught and killed swiftly and one that struggled and fought to be free from a hook in its sensitive mouth, or struggled and slowly suffocated in nets.

MIND WHAT YOU SAY AROUND YOUR DOG

Dogs appear to be able to differentiate between words with slightly different vowel sounds, according to findings published in Biology Letters. Dogs of various breeds were played recordings of people saying six words that varied only by their vowels, and a majority reacted when either the voice or the word changed, meaning “they (might) comprehend more than we give them credit for,” said researcher Holly Root-Gutteridge. (New Scientist, Dec. 4)

KIDNEY DISEASE TOPS MORTALITY CAUSES IN PERSIAN CATS

Some of the features that make Persian cats popular might also contribute to health problems in the breed, according to a scientific report in Nature. Nearly 65% of Persian cats in the U.K.’s VetCompass database have at least one disorder, including coat, dental and eye problems; kidney disease is the most common cause of death in the breed. (VetSurgeon U.K., Sept. 18)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: I wish you all the very best for this coming year. I also wish that the voting public, politicians who serve the public and corporate leaders have “2020 vision,” because this new year is a decisive one if we are going to make any progress for the greater good of all life on planet Earth.

2020 vision sees through the disinformation, rationalizations and denial of human activities, products and industries that are part-and-parcel of the climate crisis and associated extinction crisis. 2020 vision will enable us to restore our relationships, long regarded as sacred by many indigenous peoples, with nature -- all species, plant and animal, aquatic and terrestrial, all of which are increasingly endangered by anthropocentrism. Such vision is the only foundation for a sustainable economy, social justice, eco-justice, and public and environmental health.

There are many who fear their “freedoms” and vested interests are threatened by such radical 2020 vision. But they must accept that their own vision is impaired if they see no legitimate reasons for the validity of these threats, and do not accept what must be changed for the good of all. This is a challenge for us all as consumers, workers and investors in the commercial web of this dystopian age.

One antidote to helplessness, despair and depression is to join the Extinction Rebellion with 2020 vision for a viable future for all life on Earth! The climate and extinction crises will not be addressed so long as politicians, governments and corporations continue to wrestle internationally for power and control over fossil fuels and other finite resources and market monopolies.

Over 50 years ago, Jesuit priest and scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote: “The day is not far distant when humanity will realize that biologically it is faced with a choice between suicide and adoration.” That day has surely come!

DEAR DR. FOX: My dog Remi is a 1-year-old German shepherd, and she was recently diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).

She is on enzymes and Tylan, and I just switched her to a food called Sport Dog Food Elite, which I found through a recommendation from epi4dogs.com. It is a grain-free food, which many of these dogs do well on. But I have read in your column that grain-free foods can cause other health problems, and my vet told me the same.

Now that I have found a food that works for her, which means her stools are formed and no longer mush, I want to stick with it. Do you have any dietary recommendations for dogs with EPI, or do you think once you find a diet that works, it’s best to stay with it? They say the dietary piece is often the hardest part to figure out. -- F.H., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR F.H.: I appreciate your sharing information about the nonprofit organization dedicated to helping provide nutraceuticals to help dogs recover after suffering from pancreatic enzyme depletion.

This condition, common in some breeds like the German shepherd, can be brought on by diets too high in carbohydrates, as your veterinarian has pointed out. Some raw-food advocates, and others, say “no” to any carbohydrates, but I say “all things in moderation.” Some whole grains (complex carbohydrates) are good for most dogs.

But herbicide contamination, especially with Roundup, is problematic, and could contribute to inflammatory bowel disease and leaky gut syndrome by causing imbalances in the gut microbiome. In humans, these herbicides in food may be a contributing factor in the epidemics of many ailments.

Some vegetable ingredients, such as soy, in dog foods, especially in dry kibble, are pro-inflammatory. Inflammation leads to a variety of health issues in humans and dogs alike. The grain-free pet food craze has caused another set of health problems in dogs -- dilated cardiomyopathy -- which, in my opinion, is attributable to high levels of legumes/pulses like pea flour and potatoes. These foods are high in lectins, which can block uptake of essential nutrients like cardio-protective taurine.

For good measure, I would be sure your dog has a daily intake of 500 to 1,000 mg of taurine, plus a good-quality probiotic, along with the special diet you have found so beneficial.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am greatly moved by your concerns and perceptions presented in your book “Dog Body, Dog Mind.” I was blessed to have 13 years with my Corgi-dox mix; our relationship grew until the time she went to Heaven, changing my life.

Her name is Ruthie Ann Marie Grace. I’m writing a book about our experiences. She got my socks, leash, hat, keys and shoes every day before leaving the house. We hiked, did agility, nose work and so much more. I tried to fulfill her breed potential, making her a happy and fulfilled dog.

I wasn’t prepared for her death. Vets can help more by instructing us better on how to say goodbye. -- G.N., San Dimas, California

DEAR G.N.: I am glad that you enjoyed my book about dogs.

You may also enjoy “Animals and Nature First,” which opens many doors for those seeking more information about animals’ well-being and what we can do to improve their welfare and protection. We owe them no less.

We usually outlive our dogs, and the final gift of their departure is the realization of how deeply that bond with another species was: a gift indeed, measured by the intensity of our grieving. Those who have never had such a heart-centered relationship with another species have difficulty understanding and empathizing. Most veterinarians are extremely understanding, and some will shed tears with the owners when they have to euthanize their animals or when they die naturally. This is one of the stresses of being a veterinarian, and can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout.

We all need support in dealing with the death of loved ones, human and nonhuman.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)