AP-Petside.com Poll: Americans Favor No-Kill Animal Shelters
Published January 5, 2012
No-Kill Animal Shelter: Getty Images
According to a new AP-Petside.com poll, most Americans favor no-kill animal shelters.
According to the poll, 71 percent of pet owners feel that shelters should only be allowed to euthanize animals when they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be adopted. Only 25 percent said that euthanasia should be used as a means to control the animal population.
"The poll makes it clear that the majority of people would like to see communities do whatever it takes to find homes for all adoptable pets," said Kim Saunders, Vice President of Shelter Outreach and Public Relations for Petfinder.com. "This is great news because ending euthanasia is really a community effort, requiring resources and support for both increased adoption programs, outreach and accessible, affordable spay/neuter."
The poll's statistics reflect an increased feeling among Americans that more adoptable animals should be given a chance at life in a forever-loving home rather than being put down. And the numbers prove it.
In the 1970s, 12-20 million animals were being euthanized annually. Today, euthanasia numbers have declined greatly, and more animals are being adopted than ever before. These improvements are partly due to animal shelters working to ensure that their habitants find permanent homes without the threat of euthanasia if they do not.
What are your thoughts on no-kill animal shelters vs. regular animal shelters? Should euthanasia only be used when necessary or as a means to control animal population? Share your thoughts in a comment!
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Comments (18)
Hada, it is great that you are willing to help rescue, but you too need help. Please contact a trainer or the SPCA in your area for training help. It is really easy to get overwhelmed rescuing, and the dogs especially need to be trained up before they can be adopted. A trainer will help you deal with idiots on the street (sometimes you just have to say "STOP...my dog is not friendly" and really stand up to people.)It is hard when you are so young to get people to respect your word on things. The shelter may help you with meds and such if you partner with them as a foster home. You don't have to do this alone.
Anonymous no wonder the no kill only wants the healthy easy to adopt ones! If they have sick ugly animals they open themselves up to animal cruelty charges like we did. No kill is the only way to go! The money spent to euthanize should be spent to s/n and help pet owners that would otherwise not s/n or be able to keep their pet due to economic hardships. Ben G you should still support the no kill and if the animals have issues spend time with the animals and socialize them or give them the one on one time that they need and deserve.
One downside to the "No Kill" facilities in my area is that they only accept the highly adoptable pets. They only want the high profile breeds and the healthiest animals, turning others away. Thus sending those owners to the local city shelter or the local Humane Society. Leaving these shelters full to capacity and trying their best to adopt out as many animals as possible. Shelters can only adopt out the animals the public is willing to take. I agree that it is much better to humanely euthanize an animal than for it to wait months hoping someone will take it home. Shelter environment, even the best ones, is very hard on animals. The only answer to less euthanasia is more affordable spay and neutering programs and better educated and more responsible pet owners.
I used to support no-kill shelters until I realized that the one here had filled up with unadoptable pets. They all had behavioral or health problems or were too old and weren't being adopted. So many people with healthy, young adoptable pets were being sent to the local pound.