Through my time of fostering for animal shelters and rescues, I have learned many things. Many people believe that just because they take their dog to an animal shelter, that they are safe and cannot be harmed. Do not let this fool you. Just because it says “shelter”, doesn’t always mean they are going to hold your dog until it is adopted or even try to find it a home.
My local animal shelter is considered a “no-kill” shelter, which means that if it can be trained or taught they try their best to do everything possible before putting an animal down. However, not all of them are like this. Animal shelters fall into two categories, kill and no-kill. Kill shelters hold a dog or cat for a certain period of time before they are put to sleep, and no-kill shelters hold a dog or cat until they are adopted rather than putting them to sleep.However, there are reasons that a no kill shelter will put a dog or cat to sleep even though they are no-kill shelters.
Biting:
Rather a dog is biting because he is scared, or because he is mean, they will put them to sleep rather than adopt them out. These dogs are a liability for the shelter and if they bite a volunteer or a visitor, the shelter is liable. Rather than take this risk, the dog is given a certain amount of chances, usually three, and then they go for euthanization.
Aggression:
If a dog is aggressive toward humans, they are typically put down. However, many shelters do not take the time to determine whether the animal they are putting down is feral (never had human contact) or if it is just plain mean. They again, don’t want to take the chance of it biting anyone. This is unethical, since feral dogs and cats should be provided sanctuary or rehabilitation services through a licensed provider.
Illness:
Many times animal shelters do not want to pay the money necessary to provide treatment to a dog that has a chronic illness. An illness such as diabetes or Cushing’s disease in a dog can be costly, even for short-term treatment. In addition, animals that suffer from these diseases are harder to adopt out and therefore become a financial liability to the shelter.
Old Age:
Even old dogs deserve the chance to be adopted. However, many of them are either euthanized or sent to a foster home to live out their lives. It is hard to find a foster family for a dog that is old because so many times they do not look for one. Pretty much, if a dog is determined to be over the age of 9 when they enter the shelter, they are determined un-adoptable and sent on one last trip to the back room, or the vet hospital.
In essence, no shelter is a good shelter for a dog to be in. If you have to take your dog to an animal shelter, your top choice should be a no-kill shelter. Even then, it is recommend to make a financial donation directly do the animal’s care. This will ensure that they have the best chance to find a home and receive short term vet care before being released to a new home.
Recommended Reading
What to Expect When Fostering a Dog for the Shelter
NILIF “Nothing in Life is Free” Training for Dogs
How to Tell What Your Dog is Thinking
Is Your Dog Vomiting? – How to Tell a Visit to the Vet is Necessary