The Truth About Kill Shelters

Hello,

I wanted to comment on the posts I frequently see and conversations I hear about "kill" shelters. I work at an animal shelter in East TN where we took in 13,000 animals last year. Despite our best efforts, including having a full time rescue coordinator and a dedicated staff, full time vet, good PR, lots of volunteers, etc., we still had to euthanize almost 75% of the animals that came into the shelter. It hurts me to hear people over and over and over talking about "KILL shelter this..." and "KILL shelter that..."

It hurts me to hear that said in a derogatory fashion, and I am not even a
euthanasia technician, however, I am working my rear end off 40+ hours a week, including lots of evening and weekends, to get animals out the front door of our shelter. Including being involved in a very active rescue group of my own. It hurts because many of our euthanasia techs burn out, they are emotionally affected by euthanizing thousands of animals each year, they see this 40+ hours a week. They don't want to do it, our shelter doesn't want to do it, but we are forced to do it due to irresponsible pet owners.

Then we get hang up phone calls from un-named people calling us "killers" (and worse). And then the callers have found a dog, or have a pet and they can't keep it or find another home for it, but heaven forbid, they don't want it euthanized! (Possibily the "Unwanted Pet Fairy" will just come and get it?)

Maybe I am being emotional about this, but maybe people who continue to talk about "Kill" shelters could put themselves in the place of the euth techs who have to work from 8 am - 7 pm euthanizing adoptable animals because there is no other choice. There is no room at the shelter. You can hold 225 animals, but you're getting in an average of 50-70 per day (that's in January and February. Wait until June and July, when it is 80-125 animals coming in every day!) and you are adopting out 10-15 a day, on a VERY good day.

Why aren't people more sensitive about calling these shelters who must
euthanize, "Kill" shelters and many times acting as though the shelter is at fault or bad for having to do this. The shelter is simply doing the job that many of the "no kills" will not do -- when they turn away animals.

That owners will not do when they move and can't take the dog, or have a baby and can't keep the cat. The shelter is simply doing the job of the irresponsible owners who have litters of puppies or kittens, or have animals they must "get rid of", but can't find a home for them. The shelter is not the bad guy here.

Sorry for ranting...but if you want to know why I am frustrated, come to work with me one day at my "kill" shelter. Then go home in the evening knowing that even your best wasn't good enough, so you go in tomorrow and keep on trying, then have someone talk about how your shelter "kills" animals.

Believe me, the staff and I know better than anyone that we are a "kill" shelter, but we don't need it thrown in our face all the time.

Just a little irritated today. :)

-- Karen Lively