No-Kill Animal Shelters
Are Rescue Groups That Do Not Euthanize More, or Less, Humane?
No-kill humane societies pride themselves on refusing to euthanize any animal. But are they doing themselves, other rescue groups, and the animals a disservice?
Many animal shelters use the fact that they refuse to euthanize any animal as a mission statement and a selling point. A no-kill shelter, they argue, is more humane or more ethical than a city pound that might have put Spot or Fido to sleep the day before you walked in and adopted them.
Sometimes it seems they have a point – overcrowding might force certain shelters to euthanize older animals, or a pound might put a troubled dog to sleep who could have been rehabilitated, given the right care and training. But at other times, the "no-kill" debate seems like a piece of heavy-handed marketing, with some serious factual holes.
The following are a few points to consider before adopting from (or donating your funds to) a no-kill shelter that advertises itself as better than other rescue groups.
Some Animals Are Just Not Adoptable
There are several situations where animals are not adoptable. If you're involved with a no-kill shelter or considering adopting from one, it's worth asking what they do with:
1. An Animal Who is Vicious or a Known Biter
Animals are often abandoned at shelters after incidents in which they have bitten a child or attacked another animal. The shelter may not know that they have a biter on their hands until the dog attacks a visitor or staff member. At that point, in general:
- a city pound will either find a trainer willing to take the dog on as a freebie project, or euthanize it.
- a no-kill shelter may keep the dog in a kennel for years seeking a home, while the dog is frustrated by being caged all day and becomes increasingly disturbed and vicious.
2. An Animal Who is Sick
An animal who is sick deserves just as much of a chance as a healthy animal, but with the limited funds available in most pounds and shelters, that isn't always possible.
A no-kill shelter may divert funds that could have been used to neuter, feed and care for dozens of healthy animals in order to save one very sick one; or they may keep a sick, pain-ridden animal in adoption, hoping that someone will take it home and pay for its care.
3. Other Animals Who Will Never Be Adopted
Some animals are brought into shelters with issues that are not life- or health-threatening, but will probably prevent the animal from being adopted. Behavior issues, such as spraying, are very common, and can keep even the most affectionate cat from being an ideal pet.
Some no-kill shelters will keep these animals in cages for years, awaiting a home that may never come. Others refuse to take such animals, forcing them into municipal pounds and other shelters where animals like the spraying cat will probably be euthanized - by someone else.
Use or Waste of Shelter Resources
The money donated to a shelter, or received as part of adoption fees, is clearly intended to be used for the care of the animals. But concerns have arisen over how some shelters manage funds, particularly with respect to keeping vicious animals in cages for years (where they pose a hazard to staff and visitors) while they will probably never be adopted or retrained.
Some shelters allocate a large percentage of funds to defending animals that are known to be dangerous in lawsuits, instead of providing improved care for those who will be adopted and can make great pets.
Adoption Policies in No-Kill Shelters
A final concern is that no-kill shelters may be less responsible in seeking the right home for animals, particularly large, "bully breed" dogs, or dogs that have a history of aggression – some of whom are sent home from no-kill shelters with families or first-time owners.
