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Cara Hemby
Block 3
Digby
12/5/11
Are the conditions at animal shelters humane towards the animals when euthanasia is
used in dealing with animal overpopulation?
The number of abandoned animals is increasing every year. Animals are being neglected
and thrown into a confined area that ignores their welfare. These confined areas are animal
shelters that abuse animals by neglecting to tend to their hygiene and needs for survival. This
includes feeding, bathing, or cleaning out cages. Adopted animals are adopted under a system
that is rarely salutary to their health or ethnic rights. Only 25% of dogs and 24% of cats are
adopted that enter the shelters (Jamvet). The majority of animals seldom get adopted. They are
left to either die, or they become sick due to inhumane conditions. There are more pets than
available homes (Smith). Little is being done to assist the animals who are in need of a helping
hand to protect them from this unwanted lifestyle.
Across the United States, animals are
suffering in shelters due to poor conditions, low funds, understaffing, and inhumane medical
procedures that can lead to the immoral use of euthanasia.
Workers at animal shelters cannot fulfill their duties because of the limitations that are
involved with caretaking. There are many responsibilities and resources needed to take care of
these animals. Those who work there are limited to maintaining the environment the animals are
living in because of low funds and limited staff. The number of shelters that are understaffed is
mind boggling (Crean). Some people find the job too time consuming and the emotional
involvement a hassle. The job of taking care of so many animals at one time is a major
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responsibility that falls on these shelters’ shoulders. Caring for animals there is different from
caring for animals at home (Humane Society). People who are working in these institutions need
to push through the numbers and undermine the overwhelming responsibility. The purpose of
animal shelters has yet to be fulfilled due to the lack of motivation of workers who fail to take
care of the hurting animals. There are thousands of strays and abused animals who need help, but
shelters are already too crowded or are shut down for sanitation ratings. If workers would take
the time to ensure the well being of animals by tending to necessities, then more animals would
benefit from shelters and the help that could provided.
Shelters are in need of money to help keep areas clean and to provide food for the
animals. Cages are dirty, water is polluted, and animals sometimes go hours without consuming
any food. Disease is also prevalent and requires an immense amount of medicine that shelters are
not able to afford. The main factor to explain why these conditions are what they are is because
of the limited support distributed by the community (Humane society). The unsanitary conditions
and low budget are common in shelters because little is done by the community to fund them.
Citizens are the watch dogs for the community (Humane Society). They should take heed to care
more for animals and form organizations to address the concerns at the shelters. Few companies
want to sponsor the shelters because there is little hope in supporting them. It is inconvenient and
stands in the way of extending help to animals. Another problem is the work hours at the
shelters. They are open few hours to the public which can hurt business and lead to fewer
animals taken in. They are very hard to reach by phone and can be problematic for anyone
needing to drop off a pet or wanting to adopt. Several complaints have been filed for the inability
of shelters to provide services due to the awkward structure of their schedules. Shelters need to
have more convenient hours to promote animal adoption and better community involvement.
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Not only are animal shelters’ conditions grossly inhumane, but their record keeping is not
always up to date. There are records lost and not accounted for. Most animal shelters are required
by the government to keep a log- in sheet or a population count (Smith). If time was taken to at
least count the total number of animals taken in, there would be more facts to work with for
effective intervention. There are estimations agencies compile to have a logical analysis of how
many animals are in total taken in. Shelters are not required to keep statistics on population count
(ASE).To begin the process of keeping a population count, a method was made to track animals
called Asilomar Accords. Although it is new, it has had many successes.
An insufficient amount of time is taken at the shelters for proper care of the animals.
This is evident by there not being reliable legal record of their existence. For example, an owner
who is looking for a lost dog would not be able to check records for a local shelter because they
wouldn’t exist. Many animals at the shelters do not have identification. If shelters took the time
to efficiently and effectively identify animals through documentation, it would help return strays
to their original home. There have also been several cases where medical records have been lost
or simply not maintained. The Humane Society suggests that shelters should fulfill federal and
state record keeping of all required records of medicine (Humane Society). Animal shelters have
maintained poor practices of administering medication to animals. They have been using
hazardous ingredients and overdosing animals on sedatives (Crean). On-site reviews have
uncovered instances where workers recorded inaccurate population counts, medical procedures
of euthanasia and medicine administration, and pet information just to have some sort of data on
record. These procedures are illegal and government officials who head department checks are
now exposing shelters who keep these kinds of records. More shelters have been shut down or
gone out of business because of these heinous crimes. For instance, an animal shelter was shut
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down in Hendersonville, North Carolina by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for hoarding animals that were not accounted for
by the government (ALDF). This shelter withheld animals from adoption and never recorded
injuries or the lack of medicine given to help them.
Overpopulation in animal shelters has been majorly expanding. There are many factors
that contribute to this. Low adoption rates are a huge problem and are contributing to the high
number of animals at shelters (Humane Society). Spaying or neutering can decrease the numbers
of animals in a shelter by preventing any unwanted litters that add to the burdens of
overpopulation. Animals that are not neutered should not be blamed, of course, because they are
animals and are not going to know any better. Reproduction cannot be prevented because
animals have not been neutered or spayed due to limited funds. Corporations involving animal
rights are petitioning the government for more money to put towards neutering and spaying pets
or strays. For example, the American Humane Society supports low cost spay/neuter clinics
(ASE). The American Humane Society’s support for this solution to reducing high population in
shelters could have a huge impact on helping lower the risks of animals’ offspring. By having
more clinics, it would eventually reduce the cost of spaying/neutering because they would be
more common and available to pet owners or animal shelters. Also, they are petitioning for the
government to provide enough funds to enforce laws that relate to animals and their care (Crean).
Another problem that has been occurring in contributing to the growth of animal shelters is
puppy mills and illegal breeding.
This includes mass sales in pet stores and the internet
(Humane Society). Websites like EBay or Craig’s List that sell products cheaply and abundantly
are known for these illegal sales. Many animals are sold for half of what they are worth.
Purebreds that are meant to be more expensive because of their adequate breeding and good
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genes are sold for not even a fraction of their value. By the mass production of animals that come
from these litters, animal shelters have twice as many animals are before (Rujuta). The
government has been shutting down these operations of mills and internet purchases. They are
succeeding in moving forward in animal rights. Through these interventions, animals will not be
breaded in this way and can find adequate homes.
Most of the time animals that are dropped off or rescued do not get adopted. Shelters are
left with taking care of them and keeping them alive because advertisements of the animals in
need haven’t been published. After much time goes by, animal shelters abide by holding periods
that apply to ridding of animals. Stray holding periods are set by local and state laws (Humane
Society). The set aside time is flexible for owners to have a chance to find and claim lost pets.
Owners are rarely lucky enough to find them and animals are then eligible to be put down to free
up some room in shelters. The neglect of offers really impacts the security of these animals, and
their lives are on the line. Their misery is extended further and the strays that are taken in have
only a limited time until they are killed. If an animal’s time is up, some shelters sell animals to
research labs. Even if the selected ones are injured, they are sold for cosmetics or for medicinal
experiments (Crean). Some shelters see using animals as science experiments as a better
alternative to killing them if their holding periods are past the date assigned. Universities
sometimes buy these homeless animals and use them for research labs. The University of Utah
was one of these colleges that adopted pets for their own cruel use. This particular shelter was
selling animals to them in order to open up space to animals that might have the same fate.
PETA had an undercover investigation on this situation and caught both culprits in the act. Utah
stepped in and amended the state’s pound seizure law so that shelters run by the government or
independently owned could not sell animals for experimentation (PETA). The shelter ended these
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sales, and the school stopped buying animals for research and science experimentations because
of this law (PETA). One shelter was forced to stop these cruel practices but others are still selling
animals to get rid of them after their holding period has expired. More government officials and
legislators need to step in and enforce laws on this subject just as Utah’s leaders did.
As stated in the previous paragraph, if animals overstay their welcome, they are put
down. That process is officially called euthanasia. It is the inhumane practice of killing animals
against their will or with illegitimate reasons such as seeing them as extra space instead of a life.
Euthanasia initially means good death (Borkar). This is contradicting because it is just the
opposite. The way it is applied to animals in shelters is cruel. They pervert the matter completely
differently by making the death process bad. Euthanasia is possibly one of the worst deaths. 3.7
million animals were euthanized in America’s shelters (ASE). Reasons for justifying euthanasia
that are often given are because of overpopulation, weight loss, aggressive behaviors, animals
who have overstayed their welcome, or those who are injured. One definition that is more
reasonable is “the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured
animals” (Maldonado). It entails how animals are regarded and what they are entitled to morally.
In reality euthanasia is taking away all justice that should belong to animals by permanently
stopping innocent heartbeats.
The chart below represents the low numbers in adoption rates that occur in animal
shelters across America. Clearly the numbers of animals that are dropped off exceed the number
of those being adopted. A majority of the animals that are sitting and waiting for their owner or
a good home are eventually going to be euthanized. This is the most used solution to
overpopulation in shelters. On average 60%-70% of animals that are taken in to a shelter are
euthanized.
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Adoption Rates 2011
Dogs in shelters reunited with owners
Dogs adopted from shelters
Dogs returned to shelter
Cats reunited with owners
Owned cats came from shelter
Cats Adopted
12%
12%
16%
18%
2%
40%
Only certain shelters use euthanasia. Shelters are categorized by being either a “no kill”
or a “kill” shelter. No kill shelters represent a movement that combines shelters that don’t apply
euthanasia to animals. There supporters rally against shelters that do apply the method
inhumanely to create a massive reformation movement. They have saved at least 90% of
impounded animals (Maldonado). Kill shelters on the other hand use euthanasia on a regular
basis and are the most common kind of shelter in America. Licensed veterinarians are allowed to
use euthanasia because it’s a permanent change (DLL). Permanent change means exactly what it
says. Anything involving drastic change or procedures can only be performed through someone
with a medical license such as veterinarians. It allows them to use injections to put animals down
(DLL). This allows veterinarians to administer and perform the harsh death of euthanasia to
animals in shelters by injecting permanent change into their veins. These are the people who
give the final word to terminate an animal’s life. Other people who work at shelters can use this
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too, if need be, but they would have to enroll in the same process to get a direct license. But, it is
mostly acquired by veterinarians.
One way to euthanize animals is through gas chambers. Gas Chambers are more
expensive than injections, yet it is most commonly used. Animals are restrained through leashes
or catchpoles and placed in the chamber (Humane Society). Some shelters place animals in metal
and wooden boxes sometimes before they are placed in chambers (Humane Society). Gas throws
their minds and bodies off track. The animals inside began to become fearful and would scratch
their ways out of the chamber. It stresses out other animals and is all in a state of panic in fear of
what is to happen next (Humane Society). Gas chambers release carbon monoxide which is
breathed in by the animals inside. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning
in the United States (Humane Society). The way it is applied here, however, is no accident. It is
fully intentional. The gas does not immediately make them unconscious and it takes about a
minute for them to completely not feel anything. Gas chambers supposedly take 45-60 seconds,
but animals are left for 30 minutes to make sure they are truly dead (Humane Society).
The second most popular technique to euthanize animals is injections. Animals are
brought in and are given an injection in the heart or vein intravenously (Humane Society). The
step by step sequence of death through an injection is unconsciousness, respiration, cardiac
arrest, and, then, death (Humane Society). The contents are lethal and quite harmful. The
ingredients are sodium pentobarbital, anesthesia, ketamine, and tranquilization (Humane
Society). Anesthesia is used for the sodium ph. This leaves the animal unconscious, painless, and
immobilized (Humane Society). Ketamine is an immobilizing agent that is used mainly in cats
but it does not completely cut out the feeling of pain. Tranquilization lets the animal feel relaxed
and calm. The only drawback is that the animal remains awake during the procedure. Lethal
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injections are seen as the easier and painless route, but animals still feel and know what is
happening to them (Humane Society). No matter what immobilizing unit is used to help ease the
pain during the process, it doesn’t justify killing an animal. There really is no gentle way to
inflict death on an animal or creature especially by using this form of euthanasia.
To reduce the overpopulation or euthanasia in an animal shelters, the word needs to
spread through advertisement. Shelters need to get their name out there in order to have more
adoptions to decrease numbers. Animal shelters need to advocate good homes for these animals
in the community. Involving civic organizations is also a great way to promote beneficial and
ethical causes. Communities need to come together to sponsor shelters through fundraisers and to
help raise money for better environments for animals.
Many organizations are uniting together to combat euthanasia and cruel conditions in
animal shelters. Progress is slow, but progress is being made. People are coming to the
realization that euthanasia is not the solution to the mass overcrowdings in shelters. Campaigns
such as “Killing with Kindness” along with the ASPCA are making efforts to change the
conditions that are affecting the way animals are treated. It is a step towards America treating
animals more ethically. As Gandhi stated “A nation and its moral progress can be judged by the
manner in which its animals are treated” (Maldonado). Right now, America would be judged
harshly by the unethical way animals are handled. If animal shelter conditions improve, if the use
of euthanasia is terminated, and if funds are increased, then how animals are dealt with would be
consistent what the United States stands represents with liberty and justice for all. This should
include the humane treatment of animals.
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Works Cited
“Animal shelter Euthanasia” American Humane Association. 2011. Web. 20 Sept 2011
Borkar, Rujuta. “Pet Euthanasia” 2 Sept 2010. Web. 20 Sept 2011.
“Common Questions about Animal Shelters”. The Humane Society. 26 Oct 2009. Web. 29 Sept
2011
Crean, Pat. “Killing With Kindness Campaign.” 2002. Web. 27 Sept 2011
“Direct Licensing Laws For Euthanasia in Animal Shelters”. The Humane Society of U.S. 2011.
Web. 20 Sept 2011.
“Euthanasia Guidelines” JAM Vet Medicine Association 2007. Web. 20 Sept 2011.
“Facts About Animal Shelters” Pet Finder. A.S.P.C.A. 2011. Web. 10 Oct 2011
“Free at Last ALDF Helps! Shut Down Nightmare "Shelter"” ALDF. 10 Oct 2011.Web. 9 July
2008
Maldonado, Vania. “2011 No Kill Conference Offers Shelter Alternative to Euthanasia” 9 Jan
2011. Web. 28 Sept 2011
Smith, Curtis Dr. Interview. 9 Oct 2011
III Williams, Sid. “Alternative Options to Euthanizing Animals”. 24 May 2011. Web. 3 Oct 2011
“Victory! Utah Pound Seizure Stopped” PETA. 1 Mar 2011. Web. 3 Oct 2011