Companion Animal Care Articles from All-Creatures.org

Because that’s where animals are killed

From Nathan Winograd
September 2022

A veterinarian who kills healthy and treatable animals “should do so at the risk of losing their license to practice veterinary medicine.” Likewise, a shelter director who kills healthy and treatable animals should be fired. Animals not only have a right to live, but there are humane solutions to killing that communities across the country have implemented successfully.

Four puppies killed by Waycross, GA, animal control despite rescue groups ready, willing, able, and begging to save them. A staff member bragged that staff collect surrender fees and then “stick em all with a needle.”

In a recent article, I wrote about the science of keeping animals happy and healthy in shelters. In it, I provided the findings of over a dozen peer-reviewed studies showing how shelters are stressful places for animals. Specifically, I explained why temperament testing doesn't work, how shelters set animals up to fail, why animals get sick there, and what they should be doing instead. Unfortunately, instead of trying to help the animals, shelter staff often label them “unadoptable” and kill them.

Not everyone was happy. On the Facebook post about it, one person was upset that I “seem to always post what shelters are doing wrong.” Another, a veterinarian, called me “out of touch” for focusing on shelters that kill. Yet another person said it was not the fault of shelters. Though I am sure these individuals are not representative of most, it is important to explain why these (still very prominent) views are wrong.

A reporter once asked Willie Sutton, a famous bank robber, why he robbed banks. Although almost certainly apocryphal, Sutton is reputed to have replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” So why do animal advocates focus on shelters? Because that’s where the animals are — animals who are being killed.

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Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.

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