No-kill shelters, do they work?

There are many no-kill shelters for unwanted dogs and cats in the United States. Several large metropolitan areas are moving to a no-kill concept in the near future and some already have made the change. Unfortunately, because of the large numbers of animals surrendered each year, detailed in our previous blog, no-kill shelters may not work.

Some shelters are run by private organizations and must limit the number of animals that they accept. These are typically the most successful no-kill shelters. Some are even run in conjunction with a local humane society or animal shelter so that the animals that are apparently healthy and adoptable may get the little extra time they need to be adopted but the city’s shelter can still humanely euthanize animals that can’t be adopted. Can a city’s humane society start turning away surrendered animals because “the inn is full”? If they do, where will these unwanted pets go?

Many no-kill shelters will accept animals only that they deem adoptable. This means that unhealthy or aggressive animals will not be accepted. This might not be such a bad thing, but if these animals are then simply turned out on the street, we could have a real problem on our hands.

Some shelters will have to continue accepting pets, even when they are already at maximum capacity. This will lead to overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, disease that runs rampant, and lower likelihood that the animals will be eventually adopted.

Many people can’t care for sick or injured pets and we need to have some way to help these animals, whether it is through humane euthanasia or veterinary care followed by adoption.

There is not one answer to this problem, but responsible pet ownership, including spaying and neutering is one step towards reducing the number of unwanted pets. When you’re ready to introduce a new pet to your household, don’t forget about the adoption option!