Blog Post | May 13, 2025
Inspired by an original article by Caroline Weber, rewritten for Fishy’s Friends Rescue with permission to wag our own tail.

At Fishy's Friends Rescue, we're not afraid to dig deep. We’re paws-itively committed to changing the future for dogs in Oklahoma and beyond—and that means tackling pet overpopulation at the root.

It’s tempting to think, “Let’s just build more shelters!” After all, more space means more saved dogs, right?
Not quite.



Building more shelters without addressing what’s causing the overflow is like trying to mop up a flood while the faucet’s still running. The real fix? Stopping unwanted litters before they ever begin.

Every year, millions of dogs and cats enter shelters. Some are lost, some surrendered, but many are born into a world that simply doesn’t have enough homes waiting for them. And while shelters and rescues like ours are doing tail-waggingly hard work to help, the truth is we just can’t adopt our way out of this crisis.

There aren’t enough homes, there aren’t enough foster couches, and there are only so many biscuits to go around.

That’s why we’ve shifted our impact model: from reactive rescue to proactive prevention.

 People Want to Help—But Systems Get in the Way

Even the most pup-loving humans are often restricted by things out of their control:

• Rental and HOA pet limits
• Breed-specific rules
• Local ordinances
• Sky-high costs of vet care, food, and pet insurance

Add in rising inflation and stretched budgets, and we’ve seen heartbreaking situations where families are forced to give up beloved pets—not because they don’t care, but because they can’t afford the care.

 More Shelters = More Space? Not Really.

Here’s the leash-length truth: more shelters don’t mean fewer animals in need. They often mean more overhead, more strain on already-exhausted staff, and fewer resources per pup.

The cycle just keeps turning:

1. More dogs born
2. More dogs end up in shelters
3. More space needed
4. Repeat

Unless we stop the cycle at the source, we’ll always be overwhelmed. Always outnumbered. And animals will always pay the ultimate price.

 Prevention Is the Paw-er Move

That’s why at Fishy’s Friends, we’re throwing our full bark behind spay and neuter advocacy.

Spaying and neutering saves lives before they even need saving. It prevents unwanted litters, reduces shelter intake, and gives rescues like ours a fighting chance to keep up—and keep tails wagging.

We don’t need more cages.
We need fewer animals needing them.

 Be Part of the Fix—Not the Overflow

Want to be part of the solution? Here's how you can help us unleash real change:

• Donate to support spay/neuter services
• Share the importance of prevention in your circles
• Encourage friends and family to fix their pets
• Partner with us to expand affordable access in our community

Together, we can flip the script—from heartbreak to hope.

Because a world where every dog is wanted, loved, and home? That’s not just a dream. That’s the vision we’re fighting for—one snip at a time.

This blog post was inspired by “More Shelters Won’t Solve Pet Overpopulation—But Spay/Neuter Can” by Caroline Weber, originally published on May 11, 2025. Our heartfelt thanks to Caroline and PennyFix for championing a solution that speaks our language: prevention with compassion.

Let’s stop adding cages. Let’s start ending the cycle.
  Fishy's Friends Rescue — Where Every Dog Deserves a Fighting Chance.