Humane Society?

Question

Do older cats..or older pets get only 72 hours until they're put to sleep? Is this true? Is it ALL Humane Society's or just some?
so if i had to put my two cats who are about 1 year and a half old, and nobody wanted to adopt them after 72 hours, would they get put to sleep?

Answer 1

It depends on the shelter, their policies, and the number of animals that they have.

Most shelters are full, which means that they simply don't have the space to hold animals for very long. Municipal shelters (the "Dog pound") are even moreso.

72 hours is, I believe, the general "mandatory hold time" for stray animals that are picked up, to give owners a chance to find them.

In some places, "owner surrender" animals can be put to sleep right away. Why? Because they don't have enough cages to hold them.

"No-Kill" shelters can opt not to take an animal if they don't have room. Municipal shelters generally don't have that option, and therefore need to euthanize more quickly.

If you want an idea of how bad the pet overpopulation problem is in this country, volunteer for a rescue group and do a pull from a local shelter. Know that 50-80% of the animals that you see there will be dead within a week, depending on the shelter.

It's not that the shelters don't WANT to find homes for the animals. It's that they simply don't have enough room.

This is why spaying and neutering is so important - the only way to put a dent in the number of animals that are killed is to put a dent in the number of animals that are born.

Answer 2

They could be. Each "shelter" has different policies so you need to check before surrendering your animals. No shelter will give you the option of getting the cats back again if they are not adopted.

The San Francisco SPCA is a no-kill shelter. Because of the wealth in that city and the generousity of donors they have a beautiful facility. The also have a very high adoption rate. Would that that could be true all over this country.

So it is likely you will be burdening a small, poorly funded shelter with your unwanted cats. These shelters do not have the space, funds for feeing and medical attention needed to keep cats or dogs indefinitely. They are not there to relieve your guilt for abandoning your animals.

Answer 3

I wouldn't say that a 1 1/2 yr old cat would be considered older. I am not sure if that is true for all Humane Societies, you should call the one near you to ask.

Answer 4

If their lucky. Cats have between 2 to4 litters a year. the humane society don't want cats unless their fixed. People that have to move think of themselfs and not their pets. So if they can't have pets at their new place they leave their pets behind. I buy 4 bags of cat food a week for the stray cats that I have around my house. I have a dog. he gets along with all the cats.

Answer 5

In my town, the Humane Society does not put the animals to sleep but can only keep so many. They won't take any new animals until some of the ones they already have are adopted.

Answer 6

I think it would depend a lot on how crowded your particular humane society's shelter is at the time. They only have so much room in which to keep animals, and a lot of them depend on foster families to care for the animals until a permanent home can be found for them.

Answer 7

The humane society is different from your local shelters. Owner give ups there is no hold time. They can legally walk them in the back and euthanize as soon as you hand them over.

Sorry.

Find a rescue to help you re-home your cats.

Answer 8

Better to call the Humane Society and ask them because it just depends on the city/area and condition of the shelter. Like if it's overpopulated and what not.

Answer 9

Sadly, some place's do. You need to call and find out about that from your Humane Society. Have you tried giving them away? Good luck! May God bless you and the cat's.

Answer 10

Depends On the County