Why I spay/neuter?

Question

This is not my story, but it is why I spay/neuter!

Yes, I Gas Dogs and Cats for a Living.
I'm an Animal Control officer in a very small town in central North Carolina.
I'm in my mid thirties, and have been working for the town in different positions since high school.
There is not much work here, and working for the county provides good pay and benefits for a person like me without a higher education.
I'm the person you all write about how horrible I am.
I'm the one that gasses the dogs and cats and makes them suffer.
I'm the one that pulls their dead corpses out smelling of Carbon Monoxide and throws them into green plastic bags.
But I'm also the one that hates my job and hates what I have to do.
First off, all you people out there that judge me, don't. God is judging me, and I know I'm going to Yotz.
Yes, I'm going to Yotz. I wont lie, it's despicable, cold, cruel and I feel like a serial killer.
I'm not all to blame, if the law would mandate spay and neuter, lots of these dogs and cats wouldn't be here for me to gas.
I'm the devil, I know it, but I want you people to see that there is another side to me the devil Gas Chamber man.
The shelter usually gasses on Friday morning.
Friday's are the day that most people look forward to, this is the day that I hate, and wish that time will stand still on Thursday night.
Thursday night, late, after nobody's around, my friend and I go through a fast food line, and buy 50 dollars worth of cheeseburgers and fries, and chicken.
I'm not allowed to feed the dogs on Thursday, for I'm told that they will make a mess in the gas chamber, and why waste the food.
So, Thursday night, with the lights still closed, I go into the saddest room that anyone can every imagine, and let all the doomed dogs out out their cages.
I have never been bit, and in all my years doing this, the dogs have never fought over the food.
My buddy and I, open each wrapper of cheeseburger and chicken sandwich, and feed them to the skinny, starving dogs.
They swallow the food so fast, that I don't believe they even taste it.
There tails are wagging, and some don't even go for the food, they roll on their backs wanting a scratch on their bellys.
They start running, jumping and kissing me and my buddy.
They go back to their food, and come back to us.
All their eyes are on us with such trust and hope, and their tails wag so fast, that I have come out with black and blues on my thighs..
They devour the food, then it's time for them to devour some love and peace.
My buddy and I sit down on the dirty, pee stained concrete floor, and we let the dogs jump on us.
They lick us, they put their butts in the air to play, and they play with each other.
Some lick each other, but most are glued on me and my buddy.
I look into the eyes of each dog. I give each dog a name.
They will not die without a name.
I give each dog 5 minutes of unconditional love and touch.
I talk to them, and tell them that I'm so sorry that tomorrow they will die a gruesome, long, torturous death at the hands of me in the gas chamber.
Some tilt their heads to try to understand.
I tell them, that they will be in a better place, and I beg them not to hate me.
I tell them that I know I'm going to Yotz, but they will all be playing with all the dogs and cats in heaven.
After about 30 minutes, I take each dog individually, into their feces filled concrete jail cell, and pet them and scratch them under their chins.
Some give me their paw, and I just want to die. I just want to die.
I close the jail cell on each dog, and ask them to forgive me.
As my buddy and I are walking out, we watch as every dog
is smiling at us and them don't even move their heads.
They will sleep, with a full belly, and a false sense of security.
As we walk out of the doomed dog room, my buddy and I go to the cat room.
We take our box, and put the very friendly kittens and pregnant cats in our box.
The shelter doesn't keep tabs on the cats, like they do the dogs.
As I hand pick which cats are going to make it out, I feel like I'm playing God, deciding whose going to live and die.
We take the cats into my truck, and put them on blankets in the back.
Usually, as soon as we start to drive away, there are purring cats sitting on our necks or rubbing against us.
My buddy and I take our one way two hour trip to a county that is very wealthy and they use injection to kill animals.
We go to exclusive neighborhoods, and let one or two cats out at a time.
They don't want to run, they want to stay with us. We shoo them away, which makes me feel sad.
I tell them that these rich people will adopt them, and if worse comes to worse and they do get put down, they will be put down with a painless needle being cradled by a loving veterinarian.
After the last cat is free, we drive back to our town.
It's about 5 in the morning now, about two hours until I have to gas my best friends.
I go home, take a shower, take my 4 anti-anxiety pills and drive to work.. I don't eat, I can't eat.
It's now time, to put these animals in the gas chamber. I put my ear plugs in, and when I go to the collect the dogs, the dogs are so excited to see me, that they jump up to kiss me and think they are going to play.
I put them in the rolling cage and take them to the gas chamber. They know. They just know. They can smell the death.. They can smell the fear.
They start whimpering, the second I put them in the box.
The boss tells me to squeeze in as many as I can to save on gas.
He watches. He knows I hate him, he knows I hate my job.
I do as I'm told. He watches until all the dogs, and cats (thrown in together) are fighting and screaming. The sounds is very muffled to me because of my ear plugs.
He walks out, I turn the gas on, and walk out.
I walk out as fast as I can. I walk into the bathroom, and I take a pin and draw blood from my hand. Why? The pain and blood takes my brain off of what I just did.
In 40 minutes, I have to go back and unload the dead animals.
I pray that none survived, which happens when I overstuff the chamber. I
pull them out with thick gloves, and the smell of carbon monoxide makes me sick.
So does the vomit and blood, and all the bowel movements.
I pull them out, put them in plastic bags.
They are in heaven now, I tell myself.
I then start cleaning up the mess, the mess, that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not spay or neutering your animals.
The mess that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not demanding that a vet come in and do this humanely. You ARE THE TAXPAYERS, DEMAND that this practice STOP!
So, don't call me the monster, the devil, the gasser, call the politicians, the shelter directors, and the county people the devil. Heck, call the governor, tell him to make it stop.
As usual, I will take sleeping pills tonight to drown out the screams I heard in the past, before I discovered the ear plugs.
I will jump and twitch in my sleep, and I believe I'm starting to hallucinate.
This is my life.
Don't judge me. Believe me, I judge myself enough

He is a very decent and loving man that needs to put food on the table. Please lets stop this!!!

Beleive what you must, but this day and age you see it all over the USA. I interveiwed him for my local paper and this is the report he gave me.

Answer 1

I forwarded it on to everyone in my group and other groups we work with.

I work hand in hand with an animal control officer doing rescue. She will stress herself to no extent and often risk her marriage and family trying to fit one more cage in her house to keep from having to euthanize.

Added:
Vandy yes it is someones life I have listened to horror stories from animal control officers and shelter personnel. They call me at home to save animals that they just can't bear to euthanize.

Neutering has nothing to do with not getting a disease in your cat.

Answer 2

i hope "breeders" read this. i hope the person who got mad at me because of my rant on "breeders" reads this and feels really good about their "planned" litters who go to "loving" homes.
how can people judge the person who does this job? as the story says its not their fault the animals are there. for anyone who wants a dog and think of buying from a breeder remember the lives that you are causing to be lost. a breed does not mean anything. mixes are just a worthy and deserve just as much love and often make better pets. most mixes do not have the same health problems as the "pure" breeds.
very hard story to read but one that should be made public more.



ps uhhh... im pretty sure the person who put this up there says it NOT their story so it NOT their job. whoever does do the job says they hate it but may be worried that if they dont do it someone else might and they may treat the animals worse off.
and FIV does not have much to do with neutering... if you kept the animal away from others it would not get it and even animals that are neutered can still get it if they go outside and are around other cats.....

Answer 3

First of all, thank you for bumming me out. Just teasing! Trying to add a glimpse of light here. Tears were constantly rolling down my cheeks as I read your story. I am so sorry that you have to do such a job but commend you for your love and gentle kindness. Thank you for still having emotions and feelings instead of not caring or being numb to the facts. I wish there was something I could say or do to make it all better for you. I will help by voicing my concern to my governor, shelters, politicians, as well as family and friends. Do not think you are an evil person, IGNORANCE and lack of compassion in man made this happen, not you. I applaud you but also worry about you. You are a very kind and compassionate person and hope that you will remain that way. If I can do anything further please don't hesitate to ask! Your story will be in my heart and mind forever.

Answer 4

Ive still got tears in my eyes, even after reading everyone elses comments. I worked for a shelter in a richer town, and believe me, its no easier euthanizing with needle. Your right, it does feel like playing god, it feels very wrong. Choosing who lives and who dies. It just sucks so bad. I see ignorant people in my line of work every day who dont believe in spay/neuter, its so aggravating and sad. Sometimes I just want to smack them, there are so many homeless animals euthanized everyday, and this a**hole is going to make 8 more puppies. Some people dont deserve to have these animals. They just assume someone else will be there to clean up the mess. God, Im a bit depressed now.

Answer 5

I am so sorry that someone has to live with this. I am an animal lover and every animal I have ever owned has been spayed/neutered. For people to judge this person is wrong. It is not his fault that the city/county doesn't have a more humane way to take care of the issue. I hope he can find peace in the fact that these animals are not longer suffering and he do a wonderful thing the night before. Granted it makes more of a mess for him, but these animals are loved before they are taken to heaven. I will pray for him because noone should have to live with the guilt he carries.

Answer 6

I thought you said you bred Shibas? How can you be a breeder if you S/N all your dogs?

Not that it matters, the overpopulation has nothing to do with PB breeders anyhow. It is all the irresponsible people who are too stupid or lazy to manage their animals and allow them to breed randomly. It is the stupid AC who cannot be bothered to enforce the leash laws, while dogs roam freely, breeding and attacking other people and dogs.

If you are a responsible owner, there is no reason why dogs HAVE to be S/N. I have had intact dogs for 30 years, never an opps litter. It is not that difficult. Of course, if the owner is an idiot, then S/N is probably best.

Answer 7

*sigh*
What can be said in response to this. I see the others saying "You don't have to keep doing this", but there's a part inside that says "better to have someone who loves the animals doing it than someone who could care less, or even worse, hates them." I read this earlier, couldn't post. Now that I'm trying, I still can't post. I think in a situation like this.... I don't know, I think there's a forgiveness clause somewhere, it's the people who don't feel anything, or worse, get enjoyment out of things like this who go to hell. (and I don't even believe in hell......)

Answer 8

Any extra sleeping pills? I might not be able to sleep after realizing how horrible that is.

That's why I support no kill shelters and have had all my dogs spayed/neutered.

Very sad. I feel for you and hope this message gets out.

Answer 9

OMG! I had tears rolling down my face as I read this, whomever wrote this should send it to EVERY local newspaper. Maybe then people would spay/neuter their pet.

I found this by chance, I sure wish I knew where to post it so MILLIONS more would see it.

Answer 10

I just picked my puppy up from the vet this morning, she was spayed yesterday.