I've asked this before?

Question

Dont you people know there is no such thing as a "NO KILL SHELTER"? Do you really think they will take your dog with all of its behavior, medical and Lord knows what else problems and find them a good home?

I've been with a no kill shelter for many years. ANY DOG that comes in with a problem that will take up too much time or money is taken to a "KILL SHELTER" to be disposed of. They cant affford to fix all of the dogs that come in there. Only healthy, well balanced dogs are put up for adoption (sale). The ONLY REASON they are called no kill is because they dont killem there.

Oh yeah, they're gonna keep a dog that can live 14+ years that is aggressive and cant be adopted. Get real.

The word "RESCUE" is to make people feel better. Anytime you have to pay to get a dog it is being sold. I volunteer at a no kill shelter. We send all of the dogs that cant be "ADOPTED" to the SPCA who euthanizes them.

Answer 1

Shelters are a profit industry. I have said that before and it angers people, but it is true. If they feel an animal will cost more than they can sell or "adopt" it for, they find a way to get rid of it. If they feel an animal has liability issues they kill it. I saw a Rhodesian Ridgeback come in to the clinic to be euthanized this week and wondered why because obviously there would be a profit in it. Same with a boxer. It was because of the liability issues they felt they had. So instead of shipping them out to another area where they could be legal, they chose to dispose of them to avoid liability.
Small, cute dogs are very, very, very rarely ever euthanized because there is money in them. They will even put money into medical issues for a small cute dog. Large dogs, even healthy large dogs, are sometimes killed simply because they can't make money on them and are unwilling to feed them for the amount of time it takes to find a home. A large healthy mixed breed dog would be more in danger at a shelter than it would if you gave it away in the newspaper. I just brought home one a couple of weeks ago because it was slated for death.
This is a profit industry. Like it or not, that is the truth.

Answer 2

To a certain extent ours does keep animals with health issues. Usually it's cats though. Some of the cats have some sort of problems, (some we have had over 2 years) but it is true dogs with issues usually don;t get adopted out. Never any with aggression issues. If they can;t be trained they will never go to forever homes. People should understand this. Not all animals are adoptable and will be put to sleep. It's true just because they are not killed at our shelter those that can;t be adopted or would cost future owners a fortune are sent to another shelter where they will be euthanized.

The Chihuahua rescue only puts dogs to sleep that are really suffering. there are many in permanent foster homes that have cancer and the like because they can;t be adopted because of ongoing expensive treatments, but while they still have good quality of life they will be kept alive and never allowed to suffer. You can read about some of these precious babies here: http://www.ccrt.net/SpecialAppeals.shtm

So while the shelter does put to sleep animals with health issues I can say 100% for sure that unless the animal is truly suffering as you can see the Chihuahua rescue does not. It just finds foster homes that will take them for the rest of their days however long that may be. The rescue pays for any/all treatment until the end.

Answer 3

People always believe "went to a farm"..."in a foster home"...."already been adopted"...."in breed rescue". Shelters LIE to people all the time.
They truth is, either they ARE euthanizing, or they are rejecting animals and referring them to a KILL SHELTER. That is just a fact of life. Most shelters DO NOT have the funds to house animals for YEARS when they are not adoptable...if they do, there is a LIMIT to the amount of animals that they can do that with.
But, people just think that their bed-peeing,bowl guarding,nasty,seizure-having, eighteen year old pet is actually ADOPTABLE!!!!!! They just cannot accept the truth.

But these are usually the same people that would not accept the responsibility for their pet themselves and dumped it at the shelter where they have to tell themselves that it is having the time of it's life. That may be the only way they can sleep at night.
The belief in so many NO KILL shelters lets a lot of people sleep at night.

Answer 4

I thought no-kill shelters just didn't take all dogs. I didn't know they actually took some of the dogs in their care to a kill shelter. So if they take your dog, it's possible that he still might be euthanized?

What bothers me sometimes is how people are so supportive on no-kill shelters while disparaging kill shelters. Every shelter that turns no-kill means more animals are killed at the other shelters.

Both shelters are doing their best for the animals (usually), but donating to a no-kill shelters is hardly some great and noble deed while donating to kill shelters is evil.

If anyone wants an inside look at what does on at animal shelters, I highly recommend Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter by Elizabeth Hess. I learned a lot by reading it. (Of course, you could also volunteer--that's a good inside look.)

Answer 5

Actually rescues are considered a "NO KILL SHELTER" and other sanctuaries. Because they do not have the certifications to contain and use the fatel (E-Juice).

But, you are right to some extent. There is not such thing as an actual no kill shelter that adopts out animals and picks up strays.

And what kind of shelter do you work at?? Just curious because our shelter and the other three shelters that I work at and use to work for never compared adopt to selling. Selling is for animals that are bred to be bought. Adopting out an animal is for homeless animals stray or surrendered.

Most places claiming to be no kill are actually sanctuaries and rescues. If the animal has a problem or even if the animal does not, it is always the agencies responsibility to tell the client EVERYTHING that can happen to the animal.

And we use to put "food aggressive" and "toy aggressive" on the animals cages. And we gave them chances because we get so tired of killing animals by our hands. You know that we try to give all of the animals a fighting chance. And, yes, after giving them and chance and actually trying to train them we do have to put them down, for the safety of the community. But we have had people adopt out food or toy aggressive animals that are responsible enough to train them well. And we adpot out heartworm positive too!!

Answer 6

NOT TRUE! I was a volunteer at a REAL no kill shelter in Oregon. Some of the dogs there had been there for years. The shelter is very well funded by community donations. It was a very nice place. Since it was a very small town, the pound was never too full, and the shelter always had room. I don't know of any breeders there though. Almost every dog in the area was adopted from the shelter. I'm sure that was a key factor.

Answer 7

Hi Jets.Knicks: I know something about the North Shore Animal League (I live in the area). The NSAL is nothing more than a used pet store. They comb different public animal shelters all over the country and they "rescue" only the animals they believe they can adopt out. Other animals (perhaps more needy or difficult to deal with) are left behind. A person adopting an animal from NSAL is asked for a "donation". Now that person's name is on the NSAL mailing list, and he will be solicited for more donations in the name of his new beloved family member for years. The NSAL does this with thousands and thousands of people (many of whom are quite wealthy and affluent) year 'round. The NSAL hides behind their tax exempt status. They rake in more money than many corporations. Their top officers and "fundraisers" (aka salesmen) make very nice salaries. The folks that actually take care of the animals earn very little.

I believe that the NSAL began with the best intentions, but like most private shelters that aren't funded with public money, they had to solicit much more money to keep up with rising operating costs. What separates them from many private shelters, is that they are very good at that. Today, the NSAL is more profit/business driven than animal driven.

I believe a person on Long Island would walk away feeling better about adopting an animal from a public shelter, or if they insist in going to a private shelter try: Bide-a-Wee in Wantagh, or the Little Shelter in Huntington.

ADDED: Sorry st.lady, I really didn't answer your question, but I hope I pointed out to folks here that there is a difference between a public animal shelter and a private animal shelter.

Answer 8

Sadly, you are absolutely right. I know of a no-kill shelter who doesn't kill dogs... but they also are "too full" to accept any dogs with behavioral issues. They do an intake interview to determine placement (shelter, fosterhome etc..) and if you have the wrong breed(pitt, dobe, rott or mixes of those), size (big), color (black.. hard to be a big black dog in a shelter) their policy is to tell you they'll call you when an opening comes up... which it never will. I was told my volunteer services were no longer needed (after 5 years) when I disclosed this policy to a donor who had asked why we never had any new big dogs.

It drives me nuts that people actually allow themselves to believe some shelter is going to take their poorly cared for, medically fragile dog with behavior issues and fix it. Most shelters and rescues cannot afford in time, space, or $$ to rescue one poorly cared for, fragile, behaviorally challenged dog when that same time, space and money could be used to rescue 5 or 10 dogs.

Hard fact, sucks rocks, but very true

Answer 9

St. Lady, you crack me up.

I'd like to share with our audience the many strategies by which 'No Kill' shelters manage to dispose of dogs - and still be able to maintain their status as a n/k shelter. But doing so may reduce funding for them ... and they really do need what they can garner from the way of donations (those providing ligitimate funding grants know the problem and understand the need for the various disposal schemes), in order to feed, house and care for what they do keep - and many will stay the "easy keepers."

Answer 10

Amen! If the dogs are too possesive of their food they put them down. If you watch Animal Cops on Animal Planet you'd know that since they do it all the time. Yes, it would be a great thing if they didn't put those dogs down, but honestly, would you adopt a dog that said "May bite if you mess with food?" It's the sad truth.