Dog-advocates applaud the ideals behind the No-Kill movement. No-kill inspires shelters to better their standards by encouraging community involvement, fostering greater utilization of rescue groups, and improving foster care systems - unfortunately, good intentions are not always enough to fix the over-population problem.
Take, for example, The Haven, the largest no-kill shelter in North Carolina. Currently, the no-kill shelter is attempting to find homes for 150 dogs in order to satisfy requirements for state inspectors. In addition, the shelter must make improvements to the facility by Sept. 1 to meet state codes. Sadly, the shelter has failed every inspection over the course of the past 5 years.
The Haven has well over 350 dogs and hundreds of cats at their no-kill facility. According to a statement given to WRAL by shelter founder, Linda Spear, the failed state inspections stem from not having enough kennel space to house the animals indoors.
Spear states that dogs and cats are continuously being left at the shelter's gate - dropped anonymously by owners for a multitude of reasons. It is the philosophy of the no-kill shelter to not turn these animals away. The result? Too many dogs and cats, and not enough space.
The burden of caring for these homeless dogs and cats falls squarely on the shoulders of The Haven and ensuring that the facility is up to code takes both time and money. Currently, the shelter must not only reduce the number of animals, but it also needs to install a septic system, as well as interior paneling. The approximate cost is $40,000.
Failure to adopt out the necessary number of dogs and to make the needed improvements by Sept. 1 could cause The Haven to lose its non-profit status, which could cause donations to drop, resulting in the closure of the facility. Those interested in helping The Haven raise the necessary funds can donate by clicking this link.
The problems surrounding The Haven signify a bigger societal problem. Too many people across the nation fail to alter their dogs and cats. Too many people fail to provide forever homes to their companions. Too many people choose to turn their cats and dogs over to shelters when they have problems (big or small) develop in their own lives. Until these issues are properly addressed, the overall problem will never be resolved.
In the meantime, dog-advocates can work towards implementing the ideals of the No-Kill movement. Speaking up for the rights of animals and striving to improve not only our nation's shelters, but also, working towards educating pet owners about the importance of altering their animals and taking responsibility for those in their charge.
Ignoring or denying the existence of these problems, won't make them go away.
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Comments
Yes, they must have enormous problems and the no-kill shelters deserve all the donations and other support dog lovers can give.
Do you have shelters in the US which care for pets during crises in the family and release them back to the family when the crisis is over? If there is a sudden illness or loss of employment and the animal needs an operation, surely it would be cheaper and kinder to animal and owner to help out with the operation and leave the pet at home where he is loved.
Many times I have watched dog programmes and seen old people having to part with their long time pet because they cannot afford an operation. Surely, for an aged pet who has known only kindness all his life, it is cruel to take him away from his family in the last few years. There may not even be a chance for him to be adopted.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As a volunteer at our No Kill shelter and s rehabber of dogs with issues, I spend a lot of time simply walking dogs at the shelter and trying to instill some manners they may be lacking. But I also offer my services, free of charge, for anyone having trouble integrating their new pets into the home in hopes that they pe4t will stay their rather than be returned to the shelter. Often this is as easy a one phone conversation that includes some information about canine behavior and WHY a dog does perfectly normal doggy stuff, and simple measures that can be employed to clear up the misunderstanding between pet and owner. The most successful no kill facilities offer some kind of follow up support after adoption in addition to low cost spay and neuter services for owners who simply cannot afford it any other way.
P.S. On a more personal note, congratulations Penny! I hope you flourish on the national scene more than ever.
Penny, thank you for such a heartfelt and empathetic look into the plight of this shelter.
As a shelter reform advocate, I am well versed on the shortcomings of the typical shelter. I certainly applaud any one or group that decides no-kill is the way to go.
Sadly, however, the passion and drive that makes an independent rescuer or rescue group effective often fails at the shelter level. In the business world there is a name for this: it's called The Peter Principle. It was a book written about how employees get promoted beyonf their abilties to a level of incompetence. Hence the book's motto: we rise to the level of our incompetence.
It's not a slam against this shelter. I don't know them and haven't studied their operation. But I suspect their difficulties are typical.
What I don't hear is their program to raise vibrant, enthusiastic community involvement so paramount to the success of a no-kill shelter. Donations and volunteers never seem to be enough, do they?
Mandatory spay & neuter looks great on paper, but it is completely unfeasible due to the huge fees that veterinarians charge & the limited space available in state or county funded spay & neuter clinics. This needs to happen at the veterinary level...if all vets were required to donate a certain number of days per year in order to keep up their accreditation, we as a country could start to chip away at the bigger picture and make no-kill a reality. Lawyers are required by the BAR to do a certain amount of pro bono work to keep their good standing...so why not vets also??
In most states, and I know for certain in my state of California, the fee to spay/neuter is kept at a reasonable cost even for Medi-Cal recipients where it is only $5. If those people can afford a cell phone, a pizza, or a new pair of shoes then they can afford to spay/neuter their pet.
Great article! The horse world is having a similar problem with rescue facilities being full. Over-breeding is the main problem. Education is part of the solution. I'm striving to educate horse owners on similar issues. Keep up the great work!
I applaud Frank's comment. Vets should give a few free days a year to take part in sterilization campaigns. This seems feasible. What would it take to implement that?
Many vets already do all this. Don't blame the overworked vets and do NOT expect them to give their services away for free! DO put the blame squarely where it belongs, on irresponsible owners.
Penny, awesome work as always. And I, for one, agree that vets have to come back down to earth when it comes to fees and surgery costs, as well as pro bono work. And, helping a family or elderly person out, without removing the animal, would be far better in most cases.
Another angle on the no-kill movement is that if overpopulation in government funded/run facilities were to continue and grow without the use of euthanasia as a control, it would force those in power to take real notice of the population problem. Wouldn't laws and regulations be finally put into action to curb the problems of puppy mills, unrestricted backyard breeders, pet stores, lack of spay/neuter of companion animals due to ignorance, costs and "let's let the kids see the miracle of birth" syndromes? Definitely, shelter care, vet care, and hygiene, would go out the window, and animals would suffer in the short-term, but, perhaps, there would be a benefit in the long run, and animals would reap those benefits.
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