is this animal cruelty?

Question

i can't afford the price that some shelters charge.but i would love to get a dog as a companion. i have a vet discount card due to my dog i had from before that died of old age which is cheaper than what the shelters charge. so i tried to get one that was going to be put down. i thought i could save his life and be able to get his shots,chip ,food etc which would be cheaper than the $250. they charge. i was told no if i could not pay the dog will die and it was put down. i thinks thats a form of animal cruelty to an extent.do you?

Answer 1

I agree with a lot of the other answerers, this is a very controversial question and I don't know if it can truly be answered in a forum like this.

Whether or not it is cruelty is up to interpretation. Every person uses their own life experiences to decide on such a situation, and as such, no two people will completely agree on a topic like this.

Of course, there are always circumstances that will change opinions on a situation. Things like the dog's health at the time of potential adoption is especially important. You did not elaborate as to the circumstances. Such as if the dog had a major health disorder or injury that required a lot of medical attention. In this case, such as if a dog had a broken hip because of a car accident, it may be better to let the dog out of it's misery than to try to heal it. Or it may be better to place it with a family that can afford the major vet bills that would follow such an injury. Such decisions are extremely difficult to judge from the view of a post on a website.

Is it immoral to deny an unwanted dog the chance at having a good home? I would say probably. But is it cruel? maybe or maybe not.

Is it cruel to put a perfectly healthy, well mannered, and adaptable dog to sleep just because you wouldn't pay $250 to save it? probably.

Is it immoral to place a dog with a family that has a low income? That answer is not as clear cut as to what is right and wrong. There are many people with low incomes that are wonderful pet parents, and they deserve the right to love an animal as much as anyone else. But animals are living breathing beings, and thigns happen. Accidents occur, health issues arise, and the ability to properly take care of an animals' vet bills is an understandable concern. There is a fine line on this subject as to waht is right and wrong.

However, they are using an 'emotional blackmail' on you and other unsuspecting potential adopters with a story such as this. It's borderline a hostage situation, in which you don't want to see harm come to the animal and yet you dont or cant pay to save it. They're using the rescue story to psychologically get you hooked, and encourage you to adopt. I am sure that it works on a LOT of families, that end up paying to "save" the dog. The real question is, is this a public or a private organization, as that will make a real difference. If you do not agree with their practices, fees, or ideals, than go elsewhere. There are thousands of dogs in your area that need a good home. You do not have to deal with their mind games, and if you do not want to support such actions, than do not give them money (or donations, or support).

Personally I feel that $250 is dangerously close to pushing it on the lines of an acceptable adoption fee for a shelter animal. In my area, the adoption fee is aroudn $75. Ask the shelter what they do with the money recieved from adoptions, and why is their fee so large. Of course, most of it should go to teh care and maintainance of the animals kept on the premisis. If you still feel that the shelter workers did you wrong, contact the person in charge and express your concerns. Or you can contact your local media with your concerns about the adoption fees in your area. I am a firm believer that an adoption fee should be $250 or less for a rescue dog. The organizations should not make a profit on the animals they find homes for, and instead they should work on donations and gaining donations instead of including it in the price of the dog. Much more than this in price is borderline of reselling the animal for profit instead of rehomeing it for the wellbeing of the animal.

Check with teh other humane societies and shelters in your area, and check with private rescues as well. There may be the perfect dog out there for you in a rescue that you didn't know existed. There are also no-kill shelters and various foster homes for good dogs needing homes. The best place to start a search is in your area, check the newspapers and local news stations for how to contact your animal groups in your area. You can also check on websites like www.Petfinder.org which let you search by species, breed (or breed mix), general size, and the most important, location. Also, don't be afraid to look aroudn in locations close to you but not in your back door. A drive of fifty miles might make a difference in finding that great dog, so check outside of just your town and look into the surrounding areas. If you go the private rescue route, many are located further away from you but can organize pet transports that help get the animal to you. Of course, most, if not all, will require to know a little information about yourself and your family, household, etc. Remember that a rescue should not charge and exhuberant price for a dog's adoption fee, and if you see a "rescue" asking $400 or more dollars for a dog than be cautious doing business with them. They should not resale an animal for profit under the guise of rescue. Ask them why they are asking so much for the animal, and if the reason doesn't have an answer to do with the actual care and well being of the animal before the potential adoption (such as major vet bills), than do not do business with them. If you go through all of those routes and still can't find what you are looking for, check the classifieds. You may luck upon the perfect dog because the former owner has to move out of state, or got married and the spouse has allergies, or various legitimate reasons to get rid of a good dog. But please remember, that rescue dogs rarely are absolutely perfect. It is not uncommon for a rescue to have emotional or behavioral problems that will need to be dealt with using time, patience, training, and if needed, the assistance of a professional. When looking for your potential pet, remember to ASK QUESTIONS, about everything, especially ask if the history of the dog is known, and any issues that the dog may have. Try to find out as much as possible before adopting in order to keep yourself, your family, and the potential new dog, happy and healthy. In other words, if you have children or other animals, ask if the dog has been exposed to such things, and if his/her reactions are known in certain situations. Be aware of all of this and you won't have a problem. Good luck.

Answer 2

It is not cruelty according to the letter of the law. Believe me, shelters and vets hate like heck to have to put down an animal, but it is done in the most humane way possible and the dogs do not die alone. A person stays with the dog and talks to him or her as they go to sleep.

I personally don't like that shelters need to do this, and there should be measures put in place to help. Try a different shelter. I found that in the area I live I got very different prices for kittens when I called our county shelters. Lightning and Thunder found me in the shelter that they were staying. It was still much less expensive to drive 125 miles, adopt the kitty, then the next kitty a year later, and drive back home for same cost as one kitty from a shelter two miles away. Where I adopted them also has a policy that the new owner HAS to have their adoptive pet spayed or neutered. A paper needs to be filled out by the vet to prove that the procedure was completed. I did like that policy.

This is one of those emotionally charged issues for many people, but I can assure you that the dogs who are put to sleep go very peacefully and some of them probably thank the vet because their doggie lives have been pure hell. One never knows...

I am so sorry you had such a sharp response from the shelter. I feel that if someone wants to help the shelter by adopting one of the dogs, I'd do just about anything to help that person adopt. I think you experienced the cruelty in this instance.

Answer 3

I don't understand shelters ,they would rather pts a healthy dog who some one wants to adopt ,then have it adopted out because they want the whole adoption fee. It sickens me .A healthy dog looses it's life because of this.Those shelters are not humane ,instead they should be called the killing fields.I think they should've held that dog for you for a while until you paid the rest of the adoption fee. Like maybe some sort of payment plan to pay the adoption fee.I'm really sorry .


I also don't agree with some of these people on here that say if you can't pay the whole adoption fee then you shouldn't have a dog.There are many people who are not well off that have pets ,and those pets are in loving ,caring homes. Some may be better off then people who have a lot of money.Don't judge people like that.

Answer 4

This can be a controversial issue. Many people believe that if you cannot afford to take care of a pet, you shouldn't have one. For example, if your dog gets hit by a car, could you pay the vet bills?
Unfortunately, we live in a society (at least if you live in North America) that has an enormous problem with pet overpopulatin.
My personal opinion is that if any of the animals in the shelter can be given a home where they can be safe, cared for, and hopefully loved, for even a short period of time, it should be done. We owe that much to these animals that we domesticated years ago and are now responsible for.
Costs for adoption will decrease if the animal is neutered. Also, I would try rescue groups to compare adoption fees. Good luck!

Answer 5

Not all shelters are like that but many are. Some would rather euthanize than adopt out. Some want such high prices for their dogs that they are no better than a pet shop.

Not all shelters really care about animals, some care more for power and money. Many shelter employees are also members of animal rights groups, and when the AR groups kill animals in large numbers why would the shelters be any better.

Answer 6

Yes I do

Obvioulsy the peolpe at the shelter care more about the money than they do the animal.

They should be happy that the dog can get a good home,... there should be provision for lower fees.

Not everyone can afford fees like that but they can still afford to have and care for a dog and give it a loving home!

You should contact your local news stations and newspapers and write into the editor about ths and let people know this is going on.

I bet the people who donate to this place do not realize they are doing this!

Good Luck
Wis2006

Answer 7

No. I think it was the exact opposite of animal cruelty. Euthanizing animals who are in pain, trouble or etc is a very humane practice. If an animal would spend the better part of its life in great discomfort, many animal lovers would rather see the animal put down in this way, rather than watch it suffer. In a shelter, they put down animals with little chance of a good life.

If you want to find an affordable animal, contact a local "No Kill" Shelter. These are places that try to place every animal it takes in. Contact a Vet or Animal Hospital to find information on No Kill Shelters in your area.

Answer 8

Of course it is, thats terrible, they only cared about money not the best interest of the dog. I'd report them, or just start spreading that story all around your town and let everyone know what kind of people they are, maybe you could get them fined or even closed down, that would be good. I'm sorry you lost the dog you wanted, I wish I could do something to help you but all I can do is include you in my prayers, and I most certainly will. God bless you.

Answer 9

It is sad that they would rather put a dog down than to give it to someone who will love and care for it, but not animal cruelty in the sense of the word. Maybe look in the papers and find a new best friend to love.

Answer 10

No. It's not animal cruelty. If you can't afford $250 for the dog, you're not going to be able to care for him properly. Dogs cost money to maintain. You have to get them annual vaccinations, you have to feed a proper diet (and Purina and Kibbles and Bits ARE NOT proper diets), you have to be able to pay for the vet care if the dog becomes ill or injured, you have to pay to license the dog locally (if the area does that). If you can't afford to give the dog the care he needs, it's cruel to make him live with you.

Answer 11

Yes, I agree with you. How much do shelters charge? I live in Casper, Wyoming. Metro (run by the city) charges 50 dollars, and the humane society kennel charges 35 dollars. Outrages to pay 250. dollars. They sure don't pay one red cent for the dogs they get in these shelters.