What is the difference in an animal shelter and a humane society?

Answer 1

animal shelters are run by the state, city, or county. the humane society is a not for profit organization. both have fine animals for adoption.

Answer 2

The titles may be used interchangeably by both public and privately run organizations, though private organizations will typically call themselves humane societies.

Being labeled as a humane society does NOT mean that a group is low or no-kill. The local Humane Society where we live now is actually a high kill facility. It is simply the title a group has chosen for their shelter. Some humane societies are open-admission, public shelters that have to accept all animals. Others are privately run but may work with local governments to take in strays.

It is also important that people realize that the HSUS is not an actual shelter, nor does it have any control over what your local shelters actually do. Many people donate money to them not realizing that these things, and that money does not end up going to help your local shelter or humane society.

There are many terms in sheltering that are used interchangeably, or ones that can have very vague meanings. People don’t realize that many “no-kill” shelters actually do euthanize animals that they feel are not adoptable or ill, for example. Because the definitions of “adoptable” vary by organization, they might be putting down more animals than people think. This doesn’t make them bad or cruel organizations, but it is the reason why people need to ask questions before they donate or volunteer if something is really important to them.

Answer 3

There usually isn't much of a difference between animal shelters and humane societies. Unless the Humane Society is ACTUALLY affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Some no-kill shelters that dub themselves the Humane Society of such-and-such county are not actually affiliated with the HSUS.

Then there are high-kill or non-no-kill shelters where the animals are euthanized after a set amount of time if they're not adopted. Our old county animal control only keeps animals for 2-4 weeks before they euthanize them.

Insane touched on something I completely missed. Where the funding is coming from. Usually, shelters run by a government body are shelters where the animals will be euthanized. The no-kills are run by non-profits....or just by a group of people passionate about saving them.

Ah, College M is right about most things, but wrong about one; not all shelters require you to spay or neuter the animal yourself. Our current animal control (one that euthanizes after a short amount of time) spays and neuters the animals at their own expense. In fact, $90 covers everything; their shots, surgery, and license. You can even get the animal microchipped before you leave at little cost.

Answer 4

Usually the humane society will go out of their way to find home for animals, even those who need to be rehibilated. They rarely put dogs to sleep, even when they have had them for long period of time. Usually, it is a last resort such as a sickness or they feel the dog cannot be rehibilated. The animal shelter on the other hand will put dogs to sleep after a certain amount of time has passed. When someone asks me for a recommendation for a pet, I usually suggest the animal shelter first, then the humane society. We have gotten many dogs from the animal shelter in past and they have all been great dogs! Depending on what state you live in, you will be required to have a dog spayed or neutered if they are adopted from an animal shelter. Not sure about the humane society.

Answer 5

A Humane Society is usually a non-profit organization that runs on donations. In Arizona our Humane Society provides a lot of services such as an ambulance, a hospital for badly injured and sick animals, low-cost spay/neuter clinics, mobile clinics and foster care as well as adoptions. They also fight for better laws to protect animals.

An animal shelter is usually run by the city or county. It is where most lost and stray animals end up. This where the "dog catcher" comes from. Shelters do adoptions, spay/neuter clinics, licensing and vaccinations, but their services are pretty basic.

Answer 6

The situation in San Francisco is one of the outstanding ones in the US, thanks to the effort of Richard Avenzino who was the director at the SFAPCA (donation funded). He coordinated the effort of the animal control (city funding) so that both entities are no-kill. Both have animals for adoption and animals may be transferred from one facility to another. The pets at Maddie's Adoption Center can be there for over a year. If a cat is too "difficult" for someone to manage in their home it is frequently transferred to Best Friends Animal Society in Utah where there is life-time housing and veterinary care for cats with FIV, Leukemia, and an 'Incontinence Hotel" for cat's with neurological problems who don't use litterboxes well.

There is city-wide trapping, spaying and neutering of feral cats. That program is supported through donation at no cost to colony caregivers who continue to feed the cats after their surgeries and shots.

Answer 7

an animal shelter houses dogs and cats. they have road officers that go out on calls to pick up nuisance dogs/cats, checks on neglect and abuse cases etc. then offers them for adoption. a humace society helps owners providing low cost surgeries etc., they may also help with rescues

Answer 8

humane society saves animals from animal crulty and a shelter is where you can adopt an animal!

Answer 9

Remember PETA is neither. They kill 2/3 the animals they take in.