What are your views on No Kill Animal Shelters

[Flower'sChild]

I am curious about what other people's views are on No-Kill Animal Shelters ? Millions of Cats and Dogs are put to sleep because we can't find loving homes for them all. So do you think it's better to put them to sleep or let them live in a No-Kill Shelter, do you have mixed feelings or do you just not know or whatever ? Do you think animals will be happy living in a No-Kill Shelter ? What if the No-Kill Shelter keeps them in a cage ? What if the No-Kill shelter gives them more space. How many animals can No-Kill Shelters take in ect. ect. ect. >

Let me give you an idea about my views. If the animal is healthy and they have enough space to play and get good exorcise and stay heatlhy and get good food and be happy and if the No-Kill Shelter has room for these animals than I think it's a good idea. But I would not want to see a Cat or Dog live in a cage their whole life.

I hate the fact that Millions and Millions of Cats and Dogs are put down every year. But there are some things worse than death. Many Shelters who put down animals do this as a mercy kill. I mean we can't find homes for all these animals like I said.

So many cats and kittens have been dumped off in the street and abandon in other ways. Also with Cats breeding like crazy in the streets so many male Cats get into fights over female cats, get hit by cars ect. > A good idea is to get Cats and Dogs fixed. As much as I love kittens ( they are so cute ) we just have way too many of them being born and so many end up homeless, abused ect. >

Now like I said I am all for No-Kill Shelter's but we can only have so many No-Kill Shelters. We can't save every Cat or Dog. So I believe that a lot of attention should be put into getting more Cats and Dogs fixed and that will stop like 90 % or 95 % of the problem. I also believe that an animal shelter is a great place to adopt a Pet. If people adopt animals from a No-Kill Shelter than maybe that No-Kill Shelter can take in more animals. If people adopt animals from a Shelter that puts animals to sleep than they can save the lives of Cats and Dogs. I have a lot of respect for people who work at these Shelters both the No-Kill kind and the kind that puts animals to sleep. I feel that these people are helping out innocent animals. Yes putting a Cat or Dog to sleep may seem nasty but these people at those kill shelters are doing this as a mercy kill and they are doing it to help out Cats and Dogs.

Anyways curious to hear what others have to say on this matter.

 

[Erika]

I volunteered at one before moving here. It was all cats, so they were free-roaming, not in cages. They were put down only if they becme sick enough where they were in a lot of pain. Unfortunately there is still a very real need for "kill" shelters. There are not enough volunteers, money, or buildings to house all the homeless animals out there. And there are not enough people in the country to adopt them all. Fortunately successful spay & neuter programs and public education are starting to make a difference.

 

[Woody13]

I volunteered at one before moving here. It was all cats, so they were free-roaming, not in cages. They were put down only if they becme sick enough where they were in a lot of pain. Unfortunately there is still a very real need for "kill" shelters. There are not enough volunteers, money, or buildings to house all the homeless animals out there. And there are not enough people in the country to adopt them all. Fortunately successful spay & neuter programs and public education are starting to make a difference.

Well said and I agree. It's a shame that animals have to be put down.

 

[artvandelay]

In the words of the immortal Bob Barker, "Have your pets spayed or neutered."

 

[unkadug]

"Nothing gives me quite so much joy as when people tell me they've had their pets spayed or neutered. " - Bob Barker

 

[sillyspook13]

I can see advantages and disadvantages to both.

Personally, my family adopted a last chance dog from a kill shelter. We knew nothing about him, except that he was old and picked up as a stray. I could not have imagined a more loving pet!

 

[mkt]

While I wish to adopt from no-kill shelters, I have gotten most of my pets from kill shelters to spare 1 life. If I can't find a suitable pet at the kill shelter, I go to the no-kill shelter.

I have a very strong feeling that if it wasn't for Rebecca and me, Snowflake would probably have been put down a year ago. Now she's happy, fluffy, and hyper.

 

[rainfully]

There was an interesting HBO documentary on a while ago about a kill-shelter and why they choose to be that way. A LOT of no-kill shelters are terrible places where pets, no matter how un-adoptable they are, live out their lives in small cages in horrible conditions.

It's a very interesting doctumentary, although I went through an entire box of kleenex watching it. I'm the biggest dog lover of all time.

 

[SteveUK]

I too think it is sad that animals are killed. However what also upsets me is the attention such subjects receive. I am always being asked to donate to animal charities, shelters etc and it really annoys me. I have no problem helping animals, but for me this should take a back seat to helping humans. Every day I see people homeless, children with no clothes and living in truly awful circumstances, yet this seems to get less attention than fluffy kittens. I'm all for being nice to animals, but my money goes to a childrens charity first every time. When we can say all our population has a home and food tonight, then we should start worrying about the animals.

 

[Erika]

I too think it is sad that animals are killed. However what also upsets me is the attention such subjects receive. I am always being asked to donate to animal charities, shelters etc and it really annoys me. I have no problem helping animals, but for me this should take a back seat to helping humans. Every day I see people homeless, children with no clothes and living in truly awful circumstances, yet this seems to get less attention than fluffy kittens. I'm all for being nice to animals, but my money goes to a childrens charity first every time. When we can say all our population has a home and food tonight, then we should start worrying about the animals.

The problem is, without shelters, spay/neuter programs, etc, you'd have millions of strays roaming the neighborhoods. In Chicago alone, 24,092 dogs and cats were euthanized in 2004 (down from 42,565 just a few years earlier).

I wouldn't want my kid playing outside with that kind of danger.

Animals are completely at our mercy, and we are not always the most responsible with that. We are pretty good at messing things up. The sad thing is that this is a problem we have created. And the ones cleaning up the mess are not usually the ones who are causing it.

 

[LouDisney]

Very well said Erica. I share a lot of the same feelings and concerns as you guys do. I am a huge animal lover and it breaks my heart to even think about it. It only takes a few of us to make a difference and that goes for humans as well as animals. I wish I had time to volunteer, but I do make a cash donation, once a year to the Humane Society/US.

My nephew will soon be 3 and this child never goes without and for his b'day he recieves gifts (just to clear this up, so no one jumps the gun here) but my sister has a big b'day party for him every year, kids, adults, cake, fun, you name it, but when she sends out invitations, she includes a list of things our local Humane Society and Animal Shelters need. The list are very simple and the things do not cost much at all. She ask that instead of bringing a gift, bring one of two of these items to help. Everyone loves doing this and you can't imagine the amount of stuff we get. Even things not on the list, like toys for the animals. We usually have so much stuff that we are able to divide it up between a few shelters. Things like this really make a difference, because shelters rely on donations.

(and just so you know, I do make donations to my local shelters for people too )

 

[maelstrom]

I got my kitten, Chloe, from an animal rescue. She and her brothers had been taken away from their mother too early and had been fostered by what I can imagine was the most loving family ever, based on the attitudes of Chloe and her brothers. They were living in a cage at PetSmart, which is where this shelter puts some animals on display so that people can know about them and hopefully call to adopt, like we did (all of her brothers were finally adopted as well, within a month or so of us adopting Chloe).

So now you have my pet adopting story. And...

I think no-kill shelters are great, however, if they really do not have the means to properly take care of a large number of animals (large areas to play in, plenty of toys, people around constantly to be with the animals), then it may not be the best way to go. Cats and dogs need a lot of love and attention, and they won't find that stuck in a cage all day. When Chloe went to "camp" (boarded at her vet while we went to WDW), she HATED the cage, and stuck her paws out every time someone went by, hoping someone would take her out and play with her. Imagine if she had to live in there always?

 

[Safari Giraffe]

Both of the dogs my husband and I own came from a rescue shelter (a coworker runs it). We have both had "purebred" dogs and thought we would give the mixed breeds a chance and save a life at the same time. We are both animal lovers (me probably more so than him). The dogs could not have a better life. They are both very spoiled and well taken care of.

 

[lamarvenoy]

My family own a huge breeding farm for Exotic birds and 20 years ago they sold off the cat division to another breeder. I believe there were 120 pure bred-Siamese,persian and Ocicats. As a child I got to see things from that perspective and I helped with the births and got to see both the life and death side of the industry. In many ways I am cold to the inhumane practice of this type of breeding. These animals spend their entire lives in cages receiving only minimal space and no idea of freedom. At the same time I don't feel breeding parrots is inhumane when done correctly. In my parents operation larger birds like Macaws or Cockatoos have apx. 150 sq.feet of cage per pair and are fed the best food money can buy and most of these birds seem truely happy. I have had a relation ship with at least 50 of them and hundreds of others were imported 30 years ago and have mates they spend their entire lives with.I urge people to adopt cats and dogs from shelters but parrots should ONLY be purchased from breeders due to their nature of relationship and trust building.My memories of my 2 cats to me are priceless and the 20 years I had with them I cherish.

 

[DMC-12]

I volunteered at one before moving here. It was all cats, so they were free-roaming, not in cages.

Yep, and my buddy just got one from that shelter, not too long ago. :wave:

 

[Erika]

Yep, and my buddy just got one from that shelter, not too long ago. :wave:

Really! It's kind of a ghetto set-up :lol: but the volunteers are so incredibly dedicated (if not a little nuts).

 

[speck76]

Speck came from a kill shelter

http://www.orangecountyfl.net/cms/DEPT/CEsrvcs/animal/default.htm

I am not a big fan of no-kill shelters.....as there are some bad animals out there, that have not had the correct training, or have other various defects. While I am not happy that animals potentially suffer due to idiot people, it is reality, and it is unfortunate that idiot people will always be around. One thing that I am happy about is that when adopting from this kill shelter, they fix the animal before you pick them up.....you don't have a choice in the matter.

 

[Erika]

One thing that I am happy about is that when adopting from this kill shelter, they fix the animal before you pick them up.....you don't have a choice in the matter.

That is the standard these days. Otherwise, all the work they do, all the time they dedicate, is for nothing.

I really admire those who can work at kill shelters because to have a love of animals and yet be strong enough to carry them through to the end takes an enormous emount of strength. I don't know how they do it.

When people don't understand why volunteers are so militant about spaying/neutering, they should really offer themselves up for a few weeks. They'd get it then.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

We had a story in yesterday's paper about 12 puppies who were found in a dumpster here on Valentine's Day. The Humane Society found two female dogs who have accepted them and nursed them, and they'll be spayed/neutered at 8 weeks old and put up for adoption.

Doesn't really add anything to the discussion here, but it was a cute, and at the same time, sad picture of the throwaway puppies nursing with one of the Mama dogs.

 

[artvandelay]

It was all cats, so they were free-roaming, not in cages.

mmmm....free roaming cats

jk