The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Benjamin Deitchman
February 14, 2025
On January 6, 2025, a notable day in American governmental history due to the official Congressional certification of the second election of Donald Trump to the presidency, my son and I brought home our adopted dog, Coconut “Coco” Deitchman. A personal pet may not appear to be a public policy and public administration story, but the government and non-profit sectors are essential to the care, health and well-being of domestic animals. There are lessons and implications from our cats and dogs that reflect and shape contemporary governance and societal goals.
Coco is an approximately eleven-month-old male beagle mix with an eager and active personality. We still have significant adjustments and training to assist him in growing into his best dog self, but we love him and enjoy his company. He would not be part of our family without the work of Dekalb County (Georgia) Animal Services and the non-profit Lifeline Animal Project. Discovered as a stray at the end of 2024, the community programs processed and cared for the puppy until we were able to meet and adopt this wonderful little canine.
Managing the pet population is a necessary function of public policy and public administration. “You couldn’t get elected dogcatcher,” is an insult in the political realm, but the actual public and nonprofit employees who are responsible for animal control and adoptions have a challenging role in managing and maintaining these vital services. The building in which we met Coco was clearly an under-resourced and high-stress environment with dedicated employees and volunteers working to save and find homes for dogs and cats beyond the facility’s capacity. From the pervasiveness of unregulated breeding operations to the financial struggles of families who need to put food on the table for themselves but find themselves unable to afford sustenance for their furry companions, the root causes of pets in need of homes extend across the scope of social and economic issues of contemporary society. Human beings are responsible for these displaced animals and human society must continue to provide taxpayer and donor funding to alleviate their needs.
There are targeted policies, beyond further resources to shelters, that can better protect dogs and cats. Enforcement of criminal laws that prevent cruelty to animals can provide justice and attempt to deter the most egregious cases of neglect and improper behavior. The overpopulation of pets, however, is not simply a law enforcement matter. At the end of each episode he hosted of the Price Is Right Bob Barker implored, “Help control the animal population, have your pet spayed or neutered.” He also advocated for this cause outside of the program and is a prime example of a celebrity using his voice to advance a specific and actionable cause. Although Bob Barker passed away in 2023, that simple message is a legacy that can shape a public policy approach to reducing overcrowding at our animal shelters.
There is also more that can be done to manage the cost of pet ownership and reduce the need to surrender pets in the face of financial hardship. Veterinary costs are high, and while there is not going to be a policy option for universal healthcare for dogs and cats, the pet insurance market seems ripe for reform. Navigating the options for pet healthcare seems more convoluted than for humans. In addition, policymakers should consider reforms to the veterinary field to reduce barriers to entry and expand the market for treatments for animals, potentially improving efficiency and reducing costs to pet caretakers. President Harry Truman famously quipped, “You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.” Washington and state capitals can also themselves be better friends to dogs with useful policies.
Dogs in particular are useful creatures to facilitate social cohesion among their walkers and handlers. A pet is an individual responsibility, but it is also a social contract. It is against the law to leave pet feces in public areas and, although this is not a widely policed activity, people are respectful of this rule. I certainly have had annoyances from other dogs who are off-leash in areas where this is specifically prohibited among other misdeeds, but for the most part we have successfully continued to coexist among the canines. There is certainly more that we can do to advance our dogs and ourselves. While privately-held dog parks provide luxury accommodations such as artificial turf and full service bars, public dog parks can improve community gathering options for dogs and their people.
There are far more solemn and serious issues for policymakers to consider than pets, but pets are an extension of ourselves and the society we seek in the present and the future. The governmental and civil sector we may want to leave our children is of primary importance, but it’s also worth considering the public policy and public administration we want for our dogs. Anyway, now Coco needs a walk.
Author: Benjamin Deitchman is a public policy practitioner in Atlanta, Georgia. His next book is due to be available later this Spring. The current working title is The Public Policy Perspective: A Personal Analysis of Public Work.
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