"Lifers" in No-Kill shelters.

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#1
Awkward title, I know.

I volunteer/donate to a no-kill shelter that has several dogs (and lord knows how many cats) that have been there for years. One dog has been there since 2010!

How long is it considered humane for a dog to be sitting in a shelter?

Several dogs (including the 2010 one) have behavior issues, namely aggression towards people and other dogs, and severe shyness.
 

Maxy24

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#2
In some cases, at least around here, long time shelter dogs are in foster homes. Obviously that isn't always the case though.

I guess it all comes down to quality of life. Is the dog still enjoying life, do they have fun, do they have social lives (whether it's with other dogs or certain people), do they get out at all? Around here a lot of the long term shelter dogs are often office dogs, hanging out inside with the staff most of the day. That's not a bad life. Or are they literally sitting in a cage most of the day, are they terrified much of the time, depressed, completely isolated due to behavior, displaying neurotic behavior, etc? I think an effort should also be made to get these dogs into foster care as some of the behavior issues they display may be due to living in a stressful environment. You also have to look at why the dog isn't getting adopted. If it's an aggression problem and the dog is potentially dangerous and unlikely to ever find a home then I'd be more likely to lean towards euthanasia, even if the dog isn't unhappy in the environment. But if the dog is quite adoptable but just not getting interest it would be awfully hard for me to think euthanasia was okay. Perhaps more can be done to get the dog attention (but that's my opinion as someone living in the northeast, I understand things are a lot different in the south). I know around here if a dog is in a shelter for a few months without much interest they tend to send them to another shelter/rescue group (not always possible of course) or rewrite their bio and put up new/better pictures.
 

joce

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#3
I don't know why a human aggressive dog can not be put down. It's a liability for the rescue and can waste years of resources. Some have multiple dogs like this. One dog that has some issues? Fine. But drives me nuts.


I hate when no kill is literally taken as far as it can go. Seems so often the goal is not even adoption.
 

milos_mommy

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#4
I'm not sure I'd consider it inhumane most of the time...in some cases when a dog is really going downhill in a shelter situation, depressed, etc, then it's questionable....but I know quite a few dogs in shelters for years that are seemingly happy and healthy, enjoy their walks and socialization, eat, in good health, respond happily to volunteers, etc.

My concern is the resources it takes. If a dog is really unlikely to be adopted, because, say, they have a chronic health problem or are a resource guarder that can only go to a trainer home...how many very adoptable dogs are being PTS in ACC because this dog with seizures who hates other animals is taking up a kennel in our local private no-kill for 5 years?

It's a hard decision and I don't know the answers and it's often case by case and really when it comes down to it I think most dogs are worth saving/rehabbing to SOMEONE, so it's hard to say. A lot of times I see dogs in our private shelters, many with health issues, and think the resources (time, money, space, volunteers) are ridiculous TBH. They could have saved ten or fifteen other dogs sometimes with what they put into one heartbreaking story. But does that mean the dog that was crushed by a truck and then dumped at the shelter door with 23 broken bones doesn't deserve a chance? I really don't know. I guess it brings publicity and donations to the rescue, to have dogs like that who make local news and papers. Sometimes I see the vet bills and shake my head at the fact they could fix and vaccinate the whole rescue capacity with what they spend on one dog's surgery.
 

krissy

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#5
I am okay with money pit medical/surgical cases that can be fixed and rehomed, even if that chance is low and it takes a lot of resources. I'm talking abuse cases, hit by cars, etc. Even though there's a good chance the dog doesn't make it, I think they deserve a chance (but I also would not fault a rescue for euthanizing in that situation either if it's a poor prognosis), and hopefully it provides good press and brings in extra donations that they can put towards the other animals in their care.

I don't particularly approve of chronic medical cases that are "not adoptable" and take up resources for years and years. If it's a situation where the dog IS adoptable and the rescue thinks that the right home will come along, then go for it. But dogs with conditions that are severe enough that probably no one is going to adopt the dog, and the condition isn't curable... I'm not so sure the resources wouldn't be better spent on getting another dog into a home. I'd take that on a case by case basis.

I do not approve of human aggressive lifers. That is taking "no-kill" to a whole different level. The idea of a no-kill shelter is that they don't euthanize adoptable dogs simply to make room for new animals. It doesn't mean that you don't euthanize animals that NEED to be euthanized. If a dog comes in that is sick beyond saving, it NEEDS to be euthanized humanely. And to me human aggressive dogs fall into this category. There are too many nice dogs out there looking for homes to have an unadoptable, unsafe dog taking up space in a shelter. I don't take behavioural euthanasia lightly, but a truly aggressive dog... I'm sorry but I just don't think that's appropriate.
 
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#6
I was scanning their adoptable dog list and these are their long time residents:

1. A male GSD mix that has a scary bark and only appears to like one person. Everyone else he just ignores/blows off.

2. A female GSD mix that is scared to death of everything on earth. She is sweet once she learns to trust you, but I could see her being a bite risk if she ends up with an idiot.

3. A male Chow mix that has bitten several people and the shelter brought in a behaviorist who told them he was aggressive. This dog has been there since 2013 and only adopted out that one time.

4. A female black Lab mix that has barrier aggression X 100, is not very friendly and pulls like a mule.


The male GSD is 8 and was brought in in 2010, the female GSD was born there in 2011 and has never left, and the Chow has been there since 2013 and his now 6 years old. So these aren't your run of the mill out of control youngsters.

This shelter can house upwards of 30 dogs, but their adoption rate is rather low.
 

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