How Local Communities Can Adopt Lower Pet Euthanasia Plans

According to some estimates, as many as 9 million animals might be euthanized in shelters each year. The animal welfare group, The American Humane Association, based on a study of 1,000 shelters in 1997, estimated that half of all dogs entering shelters and close to three quarters of cats are euthanized. There are various reasons why shelters euthanize , but euthanasia due to overcrowding could be a thing of the past if fewer animals entered shelters. Sadly, efforts to reduce the number of animals euthanized are often met with so much quarreling between animal rightists and welfarists that attention is drawn away from the plight of animals being euthanized.

Recent efforts to pass a mandatory spay/neuter (MSN) law in California were met with fierce opposition from breed clubs, fanciers, and veterinarians. According to Californians Against AB 1634, this legislation would have required animals not owned by professional breeders or a few other exempt owners to be spayed or neutered by the age of 4 months, with increasing fines if the owner didn't comply. The American Kennel Club was a leader in the opposition to this bill, as well as the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA), a welfare group that strives to promote responsible animal care. The fact that mandatory spay/neuter laws are often advocated by animal rights groups has not helped matters much. While unknown to a lot of people who support such groups, many animal rights advocates want domesticated animals , including pets, done away with entirely. This, and not concern over high euthanasia rates, is often behind mandatory spay/neuter efforts. NAIA opposes such laws because they feel that the laws serve only to harm legitimate breeders and don't adequately address the larger issues at hand.

This ends up being a game of divide and conquer where the biggest losers are the animals themselves. Opponents of MSN laws feel that their rights as breeders, handlers, etc. are being threatened, even though the breeding industry's reputation is harmed by irresponsible breeders who produce animals that typically end up in shelters. Advocates of such laws often seem to ignore legitimate breeders and favor bringing all breeding to a screeching halt. If a solution is to be found to numbers of often needless euthanasia rates, all the factors that contribute to animals being relinquished to shelters must be addressed.

Unaltered animals that roam at large are probably a large contributer to the number of strays. While most municipalities have laws against allowing dogs to roam free, few specifically target bitches in heat. Laws requiring females in season to be confined at all times would not only reduce nuisance behavior and the likelihood of a litter being born, but also reduces possible bites caused by aggressive males in pursuit of the female. According to the National Canine Research Council, intact dogs are responsible for 92% of bites. Loose, unaltered cats are responsible for feral colonies. Their kittens are typically born outside and, unless brought into contact with humans at an early age, will be wild for their whole lives. According to Paw Prints and Purrs, there are 30-60 million feral cats in the United States. Feral cats present a problem for shelters, who either euthanize them or turn them away. Without adequate help with veterinary expenses, many caretakers are forced to relinquish feral cats to kill shelters because most other shelters or rescues don't want them.

Irresponsible or "backyard" breeders, also contribute to the number of animals in shelters. While breeders should ideally be involved with breed clubs and shows, and have the preservation of the breed as their motive, many do not fit this category. Too many people breed with only money in mind, don't research pedigrees or bloodlines, and aren't careful about placement in new homes. Because of poor breeding in these animals, they are likely to be fearful, overly aggressive, or have other behavior problems. As an example, Weimaraners have been over-bred by backyard breeders. When the breed was first developed in Germany around 200 years ago, ownership and breeding were restricted. Since their increased popularity in the US, many Weims have been produced that are hyperactive or aggressive. Responsible breeders should be angered enough by the mistreatment of their breeds to support measures against backyard breeders.

Another cause of overcrowded shelters are animals relinquished by their owners. Sometimes this is due to a disaster that leaves the family homeless, such as a hurricane or flood. The increasingly number of foreclosures has also caused many animals to be given up. Since most rescue groups don't offer temporary foster care, and most homeless shelters prohibit pets, people facing homelessness are often forced to permanently give up their pets. Countless other animals are given up due to behavior problems when sessions with a trainer are not feasible.

Lastly, a large number of animals held in municipal animal control shelters have been seized due to cruelty and neglect cases. These animals typically have to be held until a judge determines whether the original owner can get them back or not. Animals seized in these cases may suffer from health or behavior problems.

I offer these suggestions based on my experiences with homeless animals and several irresponsible owners I've known of. It's my hope that other rescuers will find ways to put these suggestions to use in their own areas.

For one, I feel that MSN laws should only be enacted at a city or county level if it can be proven that the number of animals being born is placing a strain on local resources. There are some areas where the stray and shelter populations are out of control because of unethical or accidental breeding. If passed, MSN should protect responsible breeders that are active in breed-related activities or breed for a specific purpose. Some opponents of MSN laws that I know have stated that they would support such laws if they were repealed after the pet overpopulation problem in the area was contained.

The most ideal situation would be for pet owners to voluntarily have their animals altered. Cost is a problem for many, with many vets charging over $100 and some areas have no low-cost spay/neuter clinics. More people would have their animals spayed and neutered if the costs weren't so high. Additionally, any animals being adopted from shelters should be neutered before going home. I have actually known of people who go to animal shelters looking for inexpensive animals to breed, and having all of them neutered first would eliminate this. Animal control officers and shelter staff need to be able to effectively educate the people they encounter on spaying and neutering. Loose animals who are impounded by a local animal control should also be altered.

Groups could offer temporary foster homes for people who would otherwise have to relinquish an animal to a shelter. This could be helpful for pet owners who are temporarily displaced or have to move temporarily. This would free up shelter space for animals that need new, permanent homes. Trained volunteers could work with owners considering giving an animal up because of behavior problems. Shelters or kennels with adequate space could even offer low-cost "dog daycare" services for dogs who act out over being left alone during the day, thus eliminating one contributer to dogs ending up in shelters.

Having non-profit groups with better care resources for shelter animals play a part in cruelty investigations seems to have a good impact. One excellent example of this is the Houston SPCA featured on the Animal Planet show, "Animal Cops Houston". The help of a non-profit group in cruelty investigations can make all the difference between the animals finding homes or not.

Reducing the number of animals euthanized won't happen overnight. However, if appropriate steps are taken to reduce the euthanasia rate, large numbers of animals being put to death in shelters may soon be a thing of the past.