Should No-Kill Shelthers Euthanize?

MericoX

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#1
What's your take on no-kill shelters? Do you think even no-kill shelters should euthanize dogs for certain reasons?

Just curious. :)
 

Whisper

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#2
Yes. Behavior problems, illness. There are too many dogs overflowing in shelters to be saving the space and spending money trying to rehabilitate one aggressive dog, and in the meantime denying 10 other dogs a chance to come to the shelter and be adopted out.
 

BostonBanker

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#3
Basically ^ that. I am fine with rescues/shelters that have the resources working with some behavioral or health issues, but I would never judge a rescue/shelter who euthanizes for behavioral or health issues.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#4
I genuinely believe it is not my place to tell others when to kill or keep any dogs. That said there are many that do things, imo, wrong. I would not keep most human reliant dogs alive indefinitely in a sanctuary style setting just as I would not keep most any dog in a kennel run indefinitely as well. For that matter while I wouldn't "waste" my resources on some cases that others do and those turn out for the best.

It's very hard for me to judge them.
 

Whisper

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#5
I genuinely believe it is not my place to tell others when to kill or keep any dogs. That said there are many that do things, imo, wrong. I would not keep most human reliant dogs alive indefinitely in a sanctuary style setting just as I would not keep most any dog in a kennel run indefinitely as well. For that matter while I wouldn't "waste" my resources on some cases that others do and those turn out for the best.

It's very hard for me to judge them.
I do agree with this. It's a complicated issue. When I think about it practically, it's hard to justify spending money on one dog meaning others can't be rescued. However, haven't you (general you, because I think a lot of people have) ever known (of) a rescue dog that came in injured or ill and needed a lot of work and love? Didn't you root for that dog to get better? Didn't you think that life was worth saving?
I know some people who would consider it a waste of resources to go to the moon and back for my OWN dog, which I absolutely would.
 
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#7
Honestly I've been extremely soured by a few no-kill rescues that do stuff like... NOT having an open admission policy (only admitting highly adoptable animals and everyone else, too bad so sad) plus trashing open-admission shelters that euthanize; and/or being dishonest about an animal's medical or behavior background; and/or cutting owners loose with absolutely no support and refusing to take animals back when those undisclosed problems crop up.

The end result of which being that the mere phrase "no-kill" gives me an eye twitch.
 

Shakou

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#9
For the right reasons. The animal being too sick/injured, extreme aggression towards people that makes it too dangerous to live in a household, etc.
 
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#10
Honestly I've been extremely soured by a few no-kill rescues that do stuff like... NOT having an open admission policy (only admitting highly adoptable animals and everyone else, too bad so sad) plus trashing open-admission shelters that euthanize; and/or being dishonest about an animal's medical or behavior background; and/or cutting owners loose with absolutely no support and refusing to take animals back when those undisclosed problems crop up.

The end result of which being that the mere phrase "no-kill" gives me an eye twitch.
That doesn't sound like any thing I've ever experienced! ;)

I've never had a problem with euthanasia in no kill rescue, and I'm equally surprised when people don't know that it happens and the phrase no kill is a misnomer itself. My problem is who makes the big needle decision and why. Some rescues do this MUCH better than others.
 
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#11
I do agree with this. It's a complicated issue. When I think about it practically, it's hard to justify spending money on one dog meaning others can't be rescued. However, haven't you (general you, because I think a lot of people have) ever known (of) a rescue dog that came in injured or ill and needed a lot of work and love? Didn't you root for that dog to get better? Didn't you think that life was worth saving?
I know some people who would consider it a waste of resources to go to the moon and back for my OWN dog, which I absolutely would.
Honestly when the SPCA here pours thousands of dollars into a single dog that got kicked in the head by a deer it pisses me off, because they are spending valuable money to save that one dog.

Right now they are being evicted by the city out of their location because they decided they didn't want to run animal control anymore. WTF did they THINK was going to happen, did they really think the city was going to build new facilities to run animal control out of, and continue to rent to the SPCA? How does the city justify that? Had the SPCA not spent the multiple thousands to save five dogs they could perhaps have bought their own place and moved and not had to worry about it.

There are people outraged because the cit is taking their spot back, but the SPCA put themselves into this position, IMO.
 

Xandra

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#12
"A 'No Kill' shelter is an animal shelter that does not euthanize animals who can be adopted or when the shelter is full, reserving euthanasia for animals who are terminally ill or considered dangerous."

That is what wiki gives as a definition of no-kill.

That's a pretty good policy IMO... "can be adopted" is a bit subjective though. Some people would say, "well, he's not a totally rabid monster, he's healthy... he's adoptable." I would say if the dog is so horribly suited to be a pet for whatever reason (SSA, plethora of heath issues, etc) that no one will adopt him for years and years... then perhaps he should be put down and you should help a different dog. I can't see the sense in pouring resources into a dog that no one wants as their pet.
 

Whisper

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#14
Honestly when the SPCA here pours thousands of dollars into a single dog that got kicked in the head by a deer it pisses me off, because they are spending valuable money to save that one dog.

Right now they are being evicted by the city out of their location because they decided they didn't want to run animal control anymore. WTF did they THINK was going to happen, did they really think the city was going to build new facilities to run animal control out of, and continue to rent to the SPCA? How does the city justify that? Had the SPCA not spent the multiple thousands to save five dogs they could perhaps have bought their own place and moved and not had to worry about it.

There are people outraged because the cit is taking their spot back, but the SPCA put themselves into this position, IMO.
. . .Okay? I said twice that I see your viewpoint (though not about the whole eviction thing; I don't think that's happened here).


The whole thing that makes it difficult is that a dog's life is worth saving- but often it comes at the expense of even more dogs' lives. It's much harder to be objective when you know that dog, or when an organization is showing a dog in horrible condition and begging for donations to save it.
 
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#15
That's a pretty good policy IMO... "can be adopted" is a bit subjective though. Some people would say, "well, he's not a totally rabid monster, he's healthy... he's adoptable." I would say if the dog is so horribly suited to be a pet for whatever reason (SSA, plethora of heath issues, etc) that no one will adopt him for years and years... then perhaps he should be put down and you should help a different dog. I can't see the sense in pouring resources into a dog that no one wants as their pet.
This 100% it's not just one adoptable dog that its taking a spot from, it's several, in reality.

Here the SPCA is soooo full that one can not even drop their dog off, even of they are willing to pay the fee, thus many dogs, and even more cats are left in kennels at night by the doors, or just let loose to fend, die or with luck be picked up. Unfortunately there is no reason for places to be pet friendly here, there are so many people looking for rentals that finding pet friendly housing is something that most people can't find or afford.
 

Xandra

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#16
This 100% it's not just one adoptable dog that its taking a spot from, it's several, in reality.

Here the SPCA is soooo full that one can not even drop their dog off, even of they are willing to pay the fee, thus many dogs, and even more cats are left in kennels at night by the doors, or just let loose to fend, die or with luck be picked up. Unfortunately there is no reason for places to be pet friendly here, there are so many people looking for rentals that finding pet friendly housing is something that most people can't find or afford.
Huh! That's weird. Last time I was at the Vancouver SPCA, there were so many empty runs, right now it seems they have a whopping 13 dogs. And the fact that they charge $300 for a normal grown dog makes me think they aren't exactly desperate for adoptions.

Fort Mac - Vancouver isn't so long a trip, makes me wonder why dogs aren't brought down.
 

yv0nne

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#17
Cape Breton SPCA is SO full it is horrifying. It's also run awfully.. so there's that, too. I absolutely HATE the SPCA (locally ..don't know anything about it off-island) and it drives me bonkers to see the way they use their limited resources.
 
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#18
I'm in Fort McMurray, I have never seen an empty run here, ever, some dogs are doubled up even. They are the only thing in town, there is a rescue, SCARS, that operates 5ish hours south, but I have never seen them even come up here for adoption events so I don't know if they come up here.
Here's a link to the story:
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2013/05/12/spca-may-be-forced-to-relocate

And what they had to say on their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=503319503056436&id=307296965992025
 
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#19
For some reason I lost half of my reply. I have 2 additional points.
1- Quiddiot is fostered through a low kill shelter with no open door policy. AC is open door, and the shelter picks and chooses from there. Its an evil neccessity when you do 1500 adoptions a year and 6000 animals come up homless. I have no problem with this because everyone is upfront about it.
2- Gambit came from a strictly no-kill shelter. He was there 6 months. When I adopted him, he could not walk on a leash, had never worn a collar, had never felt grass since being brought in, and had spent 24 hours a day in a 10x10 run with 3 brothers. Being in a no- kill served no purpose to him, because he was a number not a dog. They also knowingly adopted out a hybrid animal to someone who was totally unprepared, just to get him moved. Its unfair to all involved
 
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#20
s

For some reason I lost half of my reply. I have 2 additional points.
1- Quiddiot is fostered through a low kill shelter with no open door policy. AC is open door, and the shelter picks and chooses from there. Its an evil neccessity when you do 1500 adoptions a year and 6000 animals come up homless. I have no problem with this because everyone is upfront about it.
2- Gambit came from a strictly no-kill shelter. He was there 6 months. When I adopted him, he could not walk on a leash, had never worn a collar, had never felt grass since being brought in, and had spent 24 hours a day in a 10x10 run with 3 brothers. Being in a no- kill served no purpose to him, because he was a number not a dog. They also knowingly adopted out a hybrid animal to someone who was totally unprepared, just to get him moved. Its unfair to all involved
 

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