At-Risk Pets

Weddings

The pets that are more likely to be put on a euthanasia list or are harder to adopt out and especially need our help include:

Geriatric Pets

Older pets come into shelters for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes the owners can’t afford the pet’s medical bills. They may be brought to the shelter if their owner becomes sick or passes away. Or they may be found as strays and are never picked up. Older pets, even if they are healthy, are more likely to be euthanized because of the mistaken belief that ‘no one wants a geriatric pet.’ No Kill shelters and rescues have shown this isn’t true – older animals are often the first ones chosen by adopters and fosters.

Tiny Puppies & Kittens

Shelters without foster programs or work with rescues claim they don’t have the resources to save newborn puppies and kittens. In turn, newborn puppies and kittens are often euthanized.

Less Social Cats

In areas where there are not any working cat programs or trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs, cats that don’t want to be touched, picked up, held, or pet are often euthanized due to being ‘fearful, feral or unhandleable.’ Even in some areas where these programs are present, cats may still be euthanized if they are not cuddly and sweet with shelter staff or adopters. By giving these cats their space and the time to socialize, they will be able to be more comfortable around people.

Private Parties

Animals with Treatable Contagious Illnesses

Pets with a common cold or upper respiratory infection (URI) is not a good sign for at the shelter. Since those pets are possibly contagious to other pets, some shelters think they should be removed so they do not spread the illness. These pets are euthanized even though their symptoms are very minor and are usually overcome with little to no treatment. Other treatable shelter sicknesses include parvovirus, distemper, Calicivirus, and even skin conditions such as mange and ringworm. By treating these immediately and keeping these pets isolated, they have the chance to recover to full health and be adopted.

Injured Pets

Free-roaming cats and dogs may be brought into shelters by members of the community or animal control officers when they have been hurt and need fast medical attention. In shelters that don’t have veterinarians on staff, these pets are euthanized if they broke a bone or have wounds that require a vet to take care of. These pets could be easily tended to with medical care, and for shelters without a vet, they can be sent to a vet off-site.

Fearful and Stressed Out Dogs

Dogs that are shy, fearful, or stressed out are often victims of euthanasia. Shelters claim that these dogs are not good adoption candidates or that they can’t be handled by the average adopter. In no kill shelters and rescues, they have found that adopters want to help save the lives of scared and stressed dogs. Many people seek out these dogs because they want to help a dog come out of its shell and find happiness with their new family.

Corporate Events

Pets that Have Been Victims of Cruelty, Abuse, or Neglect

Many pets who are confiscated from abuse cases are not given the time they need to recover medically or behaviorally. If the pet has certain needs beacuse of the pain they suffered, they are often written off as ‘unadoptable’ and not given a second chance at healing and a new loving home.

Any Pet with a 'Bite' History

A legally reportable ‘bite’ is any time a tooth of an animal breaks through human skin. Bites are reported in case of potential rabies exposure and don’t represent the temperament of the dog who bit someone. Bites can be accidental and small, or they can be life threatening and aggressive. Even though the circumstance of the bite can range widely, some shelters still kill any dog who has bitten someone without any thought for the circumstances of the incident.

Animals with Chronic but Easily Manageable Conditions

These conditions may be caught from other animals (such as for FeLV and FIV) or may be due to age or genetics, such as renal disease or diabetes. Most of these conditions can be managed with medication and ongoing care. Thought because they require maintaining care, shelters assume no one will want that kind of commitement and euthanize them without even telling the public what their needs are. If people knew about their conditions, the pets would be able to find the right people that can give them the commitement they need.

Info from Americanpetsalive.org