Wanting to make Tri-County Animal Shelter a "NO KILL" Shelter

Animals4Life

New Member
Wanted to spark the interest of everyone out there interested in helping to reform our Animal Shelter into a No Kill shelter. Is everyone aware of the statistics of our Tri-County Shelter? Let me just give you a statistic......10%
That is the % of how many animals make it back out of the shelter. Why is it that killing in our shelter is still occuring at rates in excess of 90%? Is it because there are too many animals? Is it because there are not enough homes? Is it because of irresponsible people? Is it because we don't have enough mandatory laws like cat licensing? Is it because the animals aren't adoptable? I believe we as a county and as a society have been conditioned to believe those are the reasons but they are not. Most are killed for one reason-FAILURE!!! A failure to learn from the past. A failure to implement the programs and services that saves lives. A failure of caring. We have a choice. We can fully and completely, without reservation, embrace No Kill as our future. Or we can continue to legitimize the two-prong strategy of failure: adopt a few and kill the rest. It is a choice which history has thrown
upon us. We are the generation that questioned the killing. We are the generation that has discovered how to stop it. I want to be the generation that does stop it!!! Anyone out there want to join forces?
 
Animals4Life said:
Is it because there are too many animals? Is it because there are not enough homes? Is it because of irresponsible people?
I don't see how we can expect it to become a no-kill shelter as long as "YES" continues to be the answer to the questions above. :ohwell:
 

somd.enigma

New Member
Animals4Life said:
Wanted to spark the interest of everyone out there interested in helping to reform our Animal Shelter into a No Kill shelter. Is everyone aware of the statistics of our Tri-County Shelter? Let me just give you a statistic......10%
That is the % of how many animals make it back out of the shelter. Why is it that killing in our shelter is still occuring at rates in excess of 90%? Is it because there are too many animals? Is it because there are not enough homes? Is it because of irresponsible people? Is it because we don't have enough mandatory laws like cat licensing? Is it because the animals aren't adoptable? I believe we as a county and as a society have been conditioned to believe those are the reasons but they are not. Most are killed for one reason-FAILURE!!! A failure to learn from the past. A failure to implement the programs and services that saves lives. A failure of caring. We have a choice. We can fully and completely, without reservation, embrace No Kill as our future. Or we can continue to legitimize the two-prong strategy of failure: adopt a few and kill the rest. It is a choice which history has thrown
upon us. We are the generation that questioned the killing. We are the generation that has discovered how to stop it. I want to be the generation that does stop it!!! Anyone out there want to join forces?

I may get slammed for this, but I don't agree with the "no kill" view. I use to, but watched a program recently on a shelter in Upper State NY about "no kill" shelters. It showed animlas being housed in very small kennels with concrete floors and no interaction with humans - and the only interaction with other animals was hearing the constant barking. These dogs were neurotic to the point of constant circling and biting at the kennel most of the time. Most were not "adoptable" and lived their lives in this condition.

I'm an animal lover and I believe there are alot worse things then humane Euthanasia.
 

Animals4Life

New Member
But it does not have to be. There are other shelters out there enforcing the No Kill way of tinking. It has been 12 years since San Francisco became the first city to end the killing of healthy dogs and cats. The same programs and services also made it possible for Tompkins County (NY) to achieve No Kill in 2002 and Charlottesville, VA saved 87% of dogs and 67% of cats last year and pledged to do better this year---to date, over 90% of dogs are finding homes. It has to start at the shelter.....there has got to be change.
 

Vrock

It's not that serious
I agree with those of you that don't agree with all shelters being nonkill! What we need is better education about responsible animal ownership. People need to spay or neuter their pets and stop viewing puppies and kittens as disposable items that lose their charm when they stop being puppies and kittens. Getting the problem at it's source is a lot better than overcrowding shelters with pets that may or may not be adoptable.
 

somd.enigma

New Member
Animals4Life said:
But it does not have to be. There are other shelters out there enforcing the No Kill way of tinking. It has been 12 years since San Francisco became the first city to end the killing of healthy dogs and cats. The same programs and services also made it possible for Tompkins County (NY) to achieve No Kill in 2002 and Charlottesville, VA saved 87% of dogs and 67% of cats last year and pledged to do better this year---to date, over 90% of dogs are finding homes. It has to start at the shelter.....there has got to be change.

I agree, it does not have to be - but it is. Until you start at the beginning of the problem - puppy mills, people who buy from pet stores, people who allow their dogs/cats to breed, etc. - there is a need for the shelters. You can't start at the end of the problem.

Where are you going to place all those animals that you don't put down? How do you propose to stop the animals from coming to the shelter?
 

Animals4Life

New Member
Well if you have ever been to our Tri-County shelter you would probably see alot of the same scenarios. Was the No Kill in NY by chance Tompkins County? I am not slamming you, you are entitled to feel as you feel. I have had to humanely euthanize animals and I agree with the fact that conditions as you mentioned above are not one any animal should live in but I also feel that more can be done to improve the percentage of adoptions.
 
Animals4Life said:
It has to start at the shelter.....there has got to be change.
I disagree. It has to start with the community. Shelters would not be so overcrowded if the community spayed and neutered their animals and adopted from rescues and shelters rather than purchase from breeders...:shrug:
 

somd.enigma

New Member
kwillia said:
I disagree. It has to start with the community. Shelters would not be so overcrowded if the community spayed and neutered their animals and adopted from rescues and shelters rather than purchase from breeders...:shrug:


Sooo darn sad, but so true!
 

Animals4Life

New Member
somd.enigma said:
Sooo darn sad, but so true!
Well it really involves starting from both ends. You guys are all right on the money, people not spaying and neutering their animals, backyard breeders, people buying animals when they are plenty at the shelters and the local rescues. I tried to ask the question what if any kind of fines were given to those whom just let their animals breed, those who neglected their animals and was not very successful. If you go to Tri-County's web page they have laws and regulations but they are all centered around Charles County. Do those same rules and regulations apply to us? If so, why are the people who are not spaying and neutering the pets, neglecting them, keeping them on short chains and backyard breeding not being fined.
 

Christy

b*tch rocket
I personally don't believe in putting an animal down just because it has no owner, but what can you do? If I were ever to be filthy stinkin rich, I'd open my own no kill shelter. Every animal I've ever owned has been a stray or a rescue. It's depressing that so many people feel that their pets are disposable. :sad:
 

Christy

b*tch rocket
Animals4Life said:
why are the people who are not spaying and neutering the pets, neglecting them, keeping them on short chains and backyard breeding not being fined.

Because they simply can't be bothered. You can make rules and regulations up until you are blue in the face, but you will never be able to legislate out human stupidity. :shrug:

I find what you are trying to do admirable, but you are essentially peeing into the wind when it comes to changing people. :shrug:
 

Animals4Life

New Member
Christy said:
Because they simply can't be bothered. You can make rules and regulations up until you are blue in the face, but you will never be able to legislate out human stupidity. :shrug:

I find what you are trying to do admirable, but you are essentially peeing into the wind when it comes to changing people. :shrug:
Ha-ha..Thanks for the chuckle. You are right though, I do often find myself peeing into the wind and often having it even blown back on me :loser: But I am not through pissing just yet!
 

somd.enigma

New Member
Animals4Life said:
Ha-ha..Thanks for the chuckle. You are right though, I do often find myself peeing into the wind and often having it even blown back on me :loser: But I am not through pissing just yet!

Well, I for one hope your not just peeing in the wind. I hope that eventually people will wake up and see what they are doing. I have hope that people will eventually see that owning that "purebred, in style, looks really pretty" animal really isn't the "cool" thing to do. That they realize that just cuz they have that "purebred, in style, looks really pretty" animals DOES NOT mean you should breed it.

So - everyone keep pissin in the wind !
 

Animals4Life

New Member
somd.enigma said:
Well, I for one hope your not just peeing in the wind. I hope that eventually people will wake up and see what they are doing. I have hope that people will eventually see that owning that "purebred, in style, looks really pretty" animal really isn't the "cool" thing to do. That they realize that just cuz they have that "purebred, in style, looks really pretty" animals DOES NOT mean you should breed it.

So - everyone keep pissin in the wind !
Rest assure I drink plenty of fluids and always have to pee :alkies:
Seriously though, I am fully aware of the battle ahead but I am very sincere and very determined to make a change in all aspects of the welfare of animals in our community.
 
Animals4Life said:
Seriously though, I am fully aware of the battle ahead but I am very sincere and very determined to make a change in all aspects of the welfare of animals in our community.
I think it's great that you are willing to try and make a change for the better within our community. Do you have any plans or ideas on how you will get things started?
 

Christy

b*tch rocket
kwillia said:
I think it's great that you are willing to try and make a change for the better within our community. Do you have any plans or ideas on how you will get things started?

:yeahthat:

I agree. :yay:
 

SoftballCrazy

New Member
kwillia said:
I think it's great that you are willing to try and make a change for the better within our community. Do you have any plans or ideas on how you will get things started?
Hmm, let's see...we could start an early education program (elementary/middle/H.S.), maybe even given by students that are interested in the problem, no idea of how often during the school year or any details as such - about responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter, back yard breeders and adopting from shelters, dropping off animals, being a lifetime commitment, etc. Give literature at their education level to help them understand the problem, start animal education at an early age to help w/ the responsibility of pet ownership at an older age.
Mandatory spay/neuter laws? Can this be done and will it work? Fines if they're not? ?
Ban BYB's...the majority of these dogs are not breed for performance, genetics, or in any way to help better the breed, so the outcome is poor health, instability of dogs temperament, a multitude of problems. A true breeder breeds to improve the line of the purebred, to remove faults and better the breed (among other things as well, etc). You never know what you might get w/ a BYB.
Just ideas...they may or may not work. There are shelters in OH and on every Tues dogs get put down, regardless of when they came to the shelter. IF they come in on Mon and aren't claimed by Tues morning, too late...I agree something needs to be done, there are plenty of great dogs being put down at the shelter, shelters everywhere...
 
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