karmadogs.org Blog

Also on Oprah’s recent expose’ was the repeated phrase, “NO-KILL SHELTER”. Obviously, a no kill shelter is the answer to the dog overpopulation problem, right? No one wants to kill dogs and some states, like Utah, have become no-kill states. So what is wrong with that, you may ask? Who wants to kill dogs?
The term no-kill shelter is used to describe shelters that have whats known as a CLOSED ADMISSION POLICY. This means that the shelter only takes animals it deems adoptable and that it has room for. They may turn away animals who are sick, old, aggressive or even who just have fleas or a cold. The shelter only has so many beds and when they are full (which they almost always are), the dogs are turned away.

What is a KILL SHELTER and who on earth would want to work there? Natural born dog killers, perhaps? No. Kill shelters are also called OPEN ADMISSION POLICY shelters. These shelters are usually forced (by government agencies) to take in all unwanted animals. Strays, owner surrenders and animals picked up by animal control may end up here. When the shelter is full, then they have to make room for the inevitable influx of dogs and cats that will make their way to the shelter that day. It is nothing more than a numbers game. It is terribly sad. And it is your fault.

Ok, maybe it is not actually YOUR fault. But it is our fault as society as a whole. Dogs end up in shelters because they are no longer wanted and there is no where else for them to go. Still, you ask, why is that our fault? Because we, as a society, don’t take pet ownership seriously. It is a lifelong commitment to an animals to care and provide for all of it’s needs. This means not moving somewhere you can’t own pets, working with them through troubled times and providing for them when they are sick. If you can’t make that commitment, then don’t get a dog. And for the love of dog, please spay and neuter your pets. I realize that you are perfect and that your unfixed dog will never get out and accidentally cause a litter. You are responsible and not likely to fail. Statistically speaking however, you will. And one dog that goes altered, if they have puppies that go unaltered, who have puppies and so on and so on can lead to SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOGS in that one dogs’ reproductive lifetime. FROM ONE DOG! (HSUS) You can see how the numbers add up. Until we are responsible as a society, open admission (kill) shelters are necessary. If you can’t live with that, then do your part. Spay and neuter. Convince your friends to do the same. Consider adoption the only option for getting a pet. Help fund low cost spay and neuter programs.

Can you imagine what would happen if everyone did their part?