Mary Kathrine Durkin, age 10, of Scottsdale, Ariz., for her question:

WHY DO PEOPLE DUMP THEIR DOGS?

A lot of people "dump" dogs for many reasons. Some find the pet too much work or too expensive or a nuisance. A few people, when they move, merely leave the dog behind. These people think--mistakenly--that the dog will get along fine. Surely, they reason, someone will feed it and eventually adopt it.- Meanwhile, the animal will somehow survive, just as their ancestors of the wild.

Of course, this line of reasoning simply isn't correct. Abandoned or "dumped" dogs often join packs of other wild dogs. Scavengers of the night, they roam the neighborhood, raiding trash barrels, attacking other animals and often spreading diseases. Sometimes they become ferocious. Feral (wild) dogs can be menacing creatures, ready to attack anyone who dares come close.

These animals live a harsh, day-to-day existence, often going hungry for days at a time. If people could realize the cruel fate of a homeless dog, Andy is certain they would never consider "dumping" the animal in the first place.