For as long as people can remember, “man’s best friend” roams the street and claims territory in the wild. As tough as they are, dogs that live in the wild struggle because they have been tamed and forgotten the way of their ancestors. Out of every domesticated animal, dogs are abandoned the most, Meaning that they either once had owners or were even born in the wild.

Rez dogs in other terms are strays and mutts. Rez dogs are no different than the dogs you see on the city streets. These guys may once have had an owner but were abandoned. If abandoned, they may still be friendly but if they’re born in the wild, they are more likely to be wild because they are raised to be able to survive in the wild more efficiently. This may result in them being hostile towards people and their pets. Also, if the dog was already hostile before it was abandoned, it is still likely to attack when provoked. These are mainly the reasons why dogs are abandoned. Other reasons are because of maintaining their health, costs to take care of them, responsibilities, child endangerment, and more. On the streets, dogs will scavenge anything that is edible. Even though these dogs aren’t much of a problem, people say they’re a nuisance for many reasons. These reasons are property damage, making a mess of trash bins, injury or death of pets, barking and howling, among others.

In a survey of fifteen students at Crownpoint High, I asked the students if rez dogs can be a nuisance, four students indicated they believe they are a problem, nine believe they are not. This indicates that the feelings about these dogs are mixed, but many do not see them as a problem.

The reason why dogs are abandoned, as stated above, is due to multiple factors. One of these factors is trying to maintain the canine’s health. According to USA Today, expenses can lead to spending a staggering $350 a month to even $4500 a year, depending on how much owners pamper their canines. Buying dog food itself can cost $200 to $700 per year. Veterinary care can also cost thousands of dollars including vaccines, required surgeries, and medicines. Mandatory checkups and sudden accidents can make unexpected surgeries, which can make a huge dent in your bank account. All these necessary and unnecessary expenses will add up.

Not only are dogs expensive to take care of, but they can make a huge mess in the home. In most cases, it’s best to get your dog trained by a person who trains dogs to make sure they are well behaved. Even this can cost a lot. The average amount spent on training can be $30-$120 per hour. If they aren’t trained, they can cause damage and costs for whatever they destroyed. In most cases, this can be electronics such as remotes, earbuds, and even smartphones. This can cost thousands of dollars in one go. Not only electronics, but furniture can also be a victim to the jaws of your canine.

Another reason why dogs are abandoned is due to them showing signs of aggression. Aggressive behavior includes attacking people or animals, which may often be other people’s pets, or worse, other people. Based on the website, Goldberg and Loren, more than 4.5 million people have been at least bitten by a dog. The most common breed that were involved in these incidents were Bulldogs, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers. Of these incidents, children are more likely to be attacked by dogs. Out of these bites, it is estimated that 1 out of 5 require medical attention. Which is more than 900,000 people that need medical attention. Not to mention the cost of the medical bill and to even get an attorney to sue the owner of the dog that bit the victim.

These reasons are just some of the reasons why rez dogs are still on the loose. Why can’t we just put these unwanted pooches in a local animal shelter. I interviewed Talaya Tapahia, a veterinarian, and she stated, “Denial in shelters could range from lack of spaces for animals or supply shortages, like dog food.” From this statement, it is clear that space is needed to make sure that the animal is healthy, because they need room to be able to exercise enough. Also, Ms. Tapahia noted that, “Not having enough staff members to care for animals could play a role.” Staff are very important. Too little staff means that they are spread out more and have more work to do. Too much can cause the shelter to lose money due to paying for the workers. This will eventually cause the shelter not to be able to afford supplies. Also, the shelter must follow procedures, so some shelters might accept strays. Additionally, for the shelter that doesn’t accept strays, the dogs must have an owner in order for them to accept the pooch.

In all, the life of a rez dog is very tough compared to a pooch with a family. They struggle to find food, even if they look through the trash can or begging, they have to find what they can. Not only do they have to find food, but they have to fend off predators or anything that’s dangerous. They are often injured, or worse, killed. They can often die from injuries, starvation, freezing to death, or even killed by humans. Humans often shoot or catch them in traps to get rid of them. in other cases, they are roadkill. Roadkill is a common death of rez dogs, which can be unintentional. I asked Ms. Tapahia about her opinion about them and said, “It is very sad to hear rez dogs being killed unintentionally. In my opinion I would like all dogs to have a place to call home and live happy healthy lives.” On the other hand, she stated, “I do find it very impressive how they can adapt to living on the streets without the proper care when compared to a dog with an owner.”