Last year, between four and five million adoptable cats and dogs died because they couldn’t find homes. Put another way, seven of 10 cats and five of 10 dogs in shelters are killed because no one adopts them, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
As animal lovers, we avoid thinking about these grim statistics. We know some shelters kill, but why? Especially if their policies are supposedly in the best interest of animals?
The problem is space. In its official statement, the National Animal Control Association (NACA) says that animal control shelters, because they’re government-funded, are required to accept all animals they receive, including strays and owner-relinquished, abandoned and seized pets. Sometimes these shelters have more animals than they can humanely house and care for. In response, the NACA has adopted a “low-kill” philosophy, which essentially is to kill the fewest number of animals possible.
**Get the July 2009 issue of CAT FANCY to read the full article.**
Click here to see CatChannel’s exclusive slideshow on timeline of the no-kill movement.