Thought for the Day
Our biggest strength, and our biggest weakness, is our ability to see a shelter-full of animals as individuals, and not as a “herd”.
Voices from the Front Lines
A guy turned in his chihuahua mix, along with her three, hours old, newborn puppies….and a prolapsed uterus. He let her breed, but didnt want to pay the money to have her prolapse treated. He said he’d just get another dog. Really?!?!
-anonymous, California
Do we like killing animals?
I received an email from a No Kill animal shelter employee who was concerned that my work in this endeavor is painting a broad stroke that stains the no-kill movement. I just wanted to publicly state, in case there were any concerns, that my work is *not* a statement for, or against, the no-kill movement.
I understand that this is a hard topic and, in many groups, a “taboo” topic. No one wants to hear about the euthanasia of animals. But ignoring that it happens will not make it go away. And while the vision of no-kill is a wonderful vision – we are nowhere near being a no-kill nation right now. We are glimpsing into this issue as it is right *now*, not as we hope it to be someday. In fact, as I am writing this, the local animal control facility in my city is facing a budget hearing that threatens to slash a very large portion of an already dwindled budget. The executive director has been let go, and the staff is at a minimum. On top of that are record numbers of animals being surrendered because of lack of housing and high unemployment rates. And this shelter is *not* the exception. This is a nation-wide issue.
No, ignoring the problem will not make it go away.
The writer also felt that my work promoted euthanasia rather than other alternatives such as behavior counseling and spay/neuter programs. Again, my work is not a statement of the no-kill concept and is not, in any way, meant to suggest that euthanasia is an ideal option. No one who works in the animal shelter field *wants* to euthanize. If we could find alternatives and solutions for every animal that came our way, we would — in a second. But anyone who has worked in an open door shelter knows that this is simply not possible.
Further, we are not doing justice to animal shelter workers and volunteers who labor tirelessly day in and day out, doing what most people cannot, by simply ignoring the issue and pretending it doesn’t happen. It happens daily and on a large scale. And if anyone should be speaking out about this issue, it is shelter workers and volunteers. We do the unthinkable. We should be the first to talk.
Silencing those who can best give the animals a voice is a gross injustice to the animals.
Lastly, let’s consider the animals that have died in shelters nationwide. Ignoring the fate they faced and not talking about it means these animals have died in vain. They are easy to forget by those who do not do our work. Instead, those of us who euthanized them are the ones who silently remember them.
Well, no more.
These animals, living or dead, deserve a voice. We cannot move towards a no-kill nation if we do not remember the dead and bring their faces and lives to the forefront of everyone’s minds. If the public is not educated to the reality of this situation, how do they know change needs to occur?
The “seven cats in seven years produces 420,000 kittens” equation has been floating around since I started in this field over a decade ago. You tell someone that statistic, their eyes widen in surprise, and then they forget about it.
Do you know why captive primates as pets are at the forefront of the nations mind right now? And why H.R. 80, the federal Captive Primate Safety Act, is so close to passing? Mostly because of the notorious attack of Charla Nash by Travis, the pet chimpanzee, last year – this left her maimed and disfigured. And do you know why, after countless people have been attacked by chimpanzees and other exotic animals over the years, there is such a strong reaction to this particular case? Because Charla did not die. Her incredible will to live has kept her, and her brutal attack, fresh in everyone’s minds. Had she died, she would have been another statistic that we read about in the news, shook our heads over, and forgot about. But this courageous woman has shown us her sadly disfigured body, and her missing fingers, and her lack of a face. She is no longer a statistic. She is a human being who was a victim to a horrible attack; and her will to survive is causing a huge shift in how the nation views primates as pets.
The animals that we have killed deserve that staying power. Statistics fade, stories die, but ongoing reality stays in everyone’s minds. Burying our heads in the sand does not make reality go away. Living in an idealistic realm does not make that ideal true. We strive for what we want and confront what we have.
You are all here because you carry on a noble task that most do not have the courage to do. You are all strong, courageous, and brave people. Do not let yourselves, or your work, be shoved into a corner because no one wants to deal with it. Speak out, loudly. Use those voices – if not for you, for the animals.
Voices from the Front Lines
We’re drowning in cats too. I dread kitten season. I can not even look at a kitten (even one on a greeting card) without feeling a little sad.
-anonymous, Kentucky
Voices from the Front Lines
Yesterday we sent 10 cats to [another shelter] to make room for the 20 that were waiting in stray. Today we are full again. I’m drowning in cats.
-anonymous, California
Voices from the Front Lines
Kitten season – the warm times of year – is when we get kittens at the shelter in droves. And yes, they have to be euthanized. There are not enough homes for the literally dozens that we get each day. But what really gets me are the people who let their cats have one litter so that their kids can experience it, and then they bring us the kittens when they are weaned. Every time I get some clueless parents walk in to drop off a box of kittens saying, “Oh we just wanted the kids to experience the miracle of life”, I always want to just say, “Oh yeah? Did you want the kids to walk the kittens back to the Euthanasia Room with me so that they can experience the miracle of death?”. If I had a dollar for every person who dropped off kittens with that excuse – I could spay/neuter cats across the nation!
-anonymous, California
Voices from the Front Lines
Today you came in to say that you would like to “donate” your cat to us. Thanks buddy – that’s just what we needed was another cat. What a nice way to say that you are giving your cat up.
-anonymous, New York
Voices from the Front Lines
Today you dropped off your two, adult, American Bulldogs. You said that your wife was in labor so you guys couldn’t keep them anymore with the new baby coming. When I told you we had no room and that they would have to be euthanized because they were an owner surrender, and not a stray, you got mad at me! Do you think I want to euthanize your dogs? You had 9 months to find them a new home. Why did you wait until the day that your wife went into labor to bring them to us?
-anonymous, California
Thought for the Day
Those who work tirelessly advocating for animals, are usually the last ones to advocate for themselves. Remember to use that strong voice for yourself as well.
Thought for the Day
The day that I stopped feeling personally responsible for all of the lives lost at the shelter, was the day that an enormous weight lifted off of my shoulders. Remember that it is one thing to be sad about the circumstances you face each day, but an entirely different thing to feel guilty. Guilt is what eats at your soul!