No-kill vs. non no-kill shelters

I am creating this post to answer a comment that was made in another post. The choice of making this a new topic is because the issue of no-kill shelters just clouded the original topic's issue. It is an important enough topic to rate a post.

I have seen and heard many people talk about the 'no-kill' shelters and how they are different from the ones who 'kill the animals.' Much of what I have heard is just so untrue that I'm getting tired of the lies. The myths surrounding the 'no-kill' shelters are getting in the way of reality. Unfortunately, many statments are believed by the public if they are repeated often enough.

A statement was made that said '... I think a lot of the shelters that euthanize could change their policies and go no-kill or network with other shelters to take cats if they have room but I think they choose not to. Pretty sad.' That is a direct quote, cut and pasted.

This person and I had a very, VERY long series of posts a while back that discussed no-kill shelters, and other closely related subjects. I made it VERY clear that the shelter that I volunteer at does network, as much as possible, with all the other shelters in the area. It is my understanding that many, if not most, private shelters do the same.

Government owned shelters can be a completely different situation. This discussion is only about non-government owned ones.

The reality is that the no-kill shelters are usually full when we are. Networking has very limited value because of that. The same holds true for the foster program, when we are full, everyone else is too.

As a matter of fact, a local no-kill brought a very large number of animals to us two weeks ago. While it MAY be true that they don't euthanize, it is partially because they bring them to us to do it. Now, if that isn't dishonest, I don't know what is. Even if the particular ones they brought are not euthanized, where do you think that we are going to get the room for them?

It turned my stomach when I found out that we had to euthanize so many animals so that they could tell their supporters that they are 'no-kill.' I don't know how you define no-kill, but my definition does not allow for sending the animals somewhere else to be disposed of. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens periodically, how dishonest!

Many of the shelters and all the foster programs are over filled right now because it is puppy and kitten season. This is not just here, it is all over the country. There are very few shelters that are not full right now. If there are some who have room for 50 animals, who is going to pay for the transportation costs and/or arrange transportation for 50 animals? The answer is 'NO ONE.'

No one at my shelter likes to euthanize, but it is an unfortunate fact of life. If there was a practical way to change that policy, we would do so instantly. All here agree on this. We are not doing this by choice, it is by necessity.

There is not enough room to house all the animals. There is not enough money to feed and care for them. There is not enough time to visit with them so their life isn't just a hollow shell. Until there is, euthanasia is a fact of life.

By the way, the same issue applies to dogs and rabbits also. While I understand this is a cat group, it is interesting that many of the previous discussions seemed to imply that this issue only affects cats.

If you have a practical, realistic solution to this, please, PLEASE tell me. I keep hearing about people who are against euthanasia, but have no solutions that work. You might tell me that my philosophy is wrong, but you offer no solution that will work. That is bogus and I am tired of hearing it. Theory is great, but when it conflicts with practical, ideas need to change.

If you are simply against euthanasia, but don't know how to make it unnecessary, just say so, 'I hate it, but I don't have a practical, realistic solution to it.' I can respect that, hell, I totally agree with it myself. I would love to see it become unnecessary, I just don't know how to do that in the near future.

A term worse than 'no-kill shelter' (which means whatever one wants it to; there is no standard out there that I know of) is 'kill shelter,' which even some conventional shelters are beginning to call themselves! One definition of 'no-kill' is a high road to fat donations. The reality is, nonprofit and private shelters can turn animals away when they are full. And they do. Conventional (county and city) must take animals, at least those within their jurisdiction. If there is no room, what is their alternative other than euthanasia? And how does turning away animals in need, especially adoptable animals, make the 'no-kill' shelter better?

I know there are some horrible shelters out there (some of them 'no-kill', but give our county and city shelters a break. They are doing their best with a horrible situation. 'No-kills' are a delusion and a snare; let's get real and work to enforce spaying/neutering and educate a public that allows itself feel good about abandoning pets at a 'no-kill' facility instead of taking responsibility for the life of the animal.

Flames will be disregarded. I've had many years to come to this conclusion.

Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats

give our county and city shelters a break. They are doing

I suppose that there is a triage system of sorts done to decide which animals go. 'Wild' ferals likely get euthanasia, and secondarily very sick animals are offed too. At the other end of the spectrum are the friendly tame animals that the shelter places out on the 'showroom floor'. We got our current cat that way, they had him in a group of cages in the lobby/ reception area of the shelter. Then there must be a fair amount of reasonably tame animals that just don't get adopted. Behavioral problems (scratches furniture, doesn't use the box, and such).

snip

The solution is to spay and neuter enough cats, dogs and bunnies, so that there are no unwanted ones. This includes both pets and ferals.

I support a group that TARs fearls, a no kill animal sancturay, and a no kill place that takes in FIV+ and Felv+ ferals (that would be my house). I believe thay all have their place and value and that they are all necessary. I do not however help at the local kill shelter which is open for adoptions Wednesday through Monday; I think about that on Tuesdays sometimes.

ron herfurth charlottesville, va

I keep hearing about people who are against euthanasia, but

Hopefully wild ferals can be spayed or neutered and released but that requires volunterrs too do the trapping and feeding. ron herfurth

Thank you for being part of the solution.