Protecting Shelter Animals
The book “One at a Time,” A true story about 74 animals who passed through an animal shelter on one week, ten of which died during this week, raises awareness of the horrors that many animal shelters around our communities deal with on a weekly basis. How did this happen? Why were these animals left there? To understand the lives of shelter animals, we need to look at the root cause for the overcrowding of shelters, what kind of measures shelters take when faced with overcrowding, and what the Humane Society, a strong advocate of No-Kill shelters, is doing to avoid other shelters from taking these measures.
Every year, approximately 6 to 8 million animals are handled by animal shelters, and although some …show more content…
Shelters cannot humanely hold all these animals, they would be forced to spend their life in cramped kennels or cages, and even then shelters still may not be able to support them all. “Trying to build enough animal shelters to keep up with the endless stream of homeless animals is like putting a bandage on a gunshot wound.” says PETA. Euthanasia is a painless and quick injection which. Many argue, is the most humane thing a shelter worker can do to a dog or animal who will not be adopted, since leaving them on the street means they will likely freeze, starve, or get hit by a car. On the streets, animals may also end up in the hands of dealers who sell these animals to laboratories. Still critics argue that the killing of healthy, young, fit animals is wrong, that they deserve a chance. Even more controversial than euthanasia, which means “good death,” is outdated methods such as gas chambers or bullets, which shelters around the nation still use today. A gas chamber is neither quick nor painless, and forces dogs to watch other animals in the chamber suffer as they suffer themselves and eventually die a slow death. With bullets, intended to quickly and painlessly kill dogs, they often hit the wrong spot or deflect, and the dog must be shot again and …show more content…
The HSUS worked to ban gas chambers in 1998, because it was inhumane, but there was a loophole in the law, and shelters now use carbon dioxide instead of carbon monoxide, since carbon dioxide was not included in the bill. The Humane Society argues that they have in fact seen results in their animal welfare campaign, stating that 3.4 million cats and dogs were euthanized in 2013, compared to about 15 million in 1970. The HSUS has three main approaches to preventing the suffering of animals. First, the Society is working to make proper neutering means easily accessible and widely available, to ensure that overpopulation is not a problem in the future. Second, to make community wide solutions, like hosting events to educate dog owners and starting campaigns such as ¨Pets for Life,”and ¨World Spay Day.” Lastly, the HSUS recognizes that in extreme situations, when shelters have no option, the euthanasia at least is properly conducted. “Everything we do with respect to euthanasia is couched in terms of: We’re working toward eliminating euthanasia of any healthy, adoptable animal entirely; we’re all working for that day,” says Inga Fricke, director of HSUS pet retention programs, who has led the organization’s charge to close the chambers. “But when it does have to be done, we’re making sure it’s done as humanely as
The book “One at a Time,” A true story about 74 animals who passed through an animal shelter on one week, ten of which died during this week, raises awareness of the horrors that many animal shelters around our communities deal with on a weekly basis. How did this happen? Why were these animals left there? To understand the lives of shelter animals, we need to look at the root cause for the overcrowding of shelters, what kind of measures shelters take when faced with overcrowding, and what the Humane Society, a strong advocate of No-Kill shelters, is doing to avoid other shelters from taking these measures.
Every year, approximately 6 to 8 million animals are handled by animal shelters, and although some …show more content…
Shelters cannot humanely hold all these animals, they would be forced to spend their life in cramped kennels or cages, and even then shelters still may not be able to support them all. “Trying to build enough animal shelters to keep up with the endless stream of homeless animals is like putting a bandage on a gunshot wound.” says PETA. Euthanasia is a painless and quick injection which. Many argue, is the most humane thing a shelter worker can do to a dog or animal who will not be adopted, since leaving them on the street means they will likely freeze, starve, or get hit by a car. On the streets, animals may also end up in the hands of dealers who sell these animals to laboratories. Still critics argue that the killing of healthy, young, fit animals is wrong, that they deserve a chance. Even more controversial than euthanasia, which means “good death,” is outdated methods such as gas chambers or bullets, which shelters around the nation still use today. A gas chamber is neither quick nor painless, and forces dogs to watch other animals in the chamber suffer as they suffer themselves and eventually die a slow death. With bullets, intended to quickly and painlessly kill dogs, they often hit the wrong spot or deflect, and the dog must be shot again and …show more content…
The HSUS worked to ban gas chambers in 1998, because it was inhumane, but there was a loophole in the law, and shelters now use carbon dioxide instead of carbon monoxide, since carbon dioxide was not included in the bill. The Humane Society argues that they have in fact seen results in their animal welfare campaign, stating that 3.4 million cats and dogs were euthanized in 2013, compared to about 15 million in 1970. The HSUS has three main approaches to preventing the suffering of animals. First, the Society is working to make proper neutering means easily accessible and widely available, to ensure that overpopulation is not a problem in the future. Second, to make community wide solutions, like hosting events to educate dog owners and starting campaigns such as ¨Pets for Life,”and ¨World Spay Day.” Lastly, the HSUS recognizes that in extreme situations, when shelters have no option, the euthanasia at least is properly conducted. “Everything we do with respect to euthanasia is couched in terms of: We’re working toward eliminating euthanasia of any healthy, adoptable animal entirely; we’re all working for that day,” says Inga Fricke, director of HSUS pet retention programs, who has led the organization’s charge to close the chambers. “But when it does have to be done, we’re making sure it’s done as humanely as