Intro: There are many thousands (over 4,000) of excellent animal shelters in the US saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals each year but there are some who are failing through sloppy management. The presence of animal shelters in the US is a wonderful thing when you think about it. They indicate a fairly civilised society 💕. I can’t say it is perfect but not bad. It can be better in terms of ‘accidental euthanasias’. This article is about those non-accidents.
A dog set for adoption was mistakenly euthanized at a South Los Angeles animal shelter due to a communication failure.
The potential adopter is demanding answers following the euthanasia, which took place about an hour before she was scheduled to pick up her new pet. Jianna Maarten Sadda had planned to collect the dog at 3 p.m., but discovered at 2 p.m. that the dog had been euthanized.
This incident is not a one-off mistake; it indicates a consistent pattern of neglect and a lack of concern for animal welfare by the staff at Los Angeles Animal Services.
Reports have surfaced that dogs are frequently left in their kennels for long periods without walks, beds, or clean water. Eyewitnesses have reported appalling conditions, including dirty floors, cages, and a strong foul odor.
Additionally, there have been cases of animal mistreatment by staff, with whistleblowers facing retaliation rather than the culprits. Further investigations have uncovered more mistreatment, involving injured rabbits and uncared-for rodents.
The regularity of “accidental” euthanasia in shelters nationwide points to a widespread problem rather than individual errors.
When errors are made consistenly due to sloppy shelter procedures, accidental killings can no longer be described as accidental.
Michael Broad
“Accidental” killings of beloved pets happen every day in pounds in this country [US]. Google “shelter mistakenly euthanized a pet,” and you’ll get “About 177,000 results (0.40 seconds).” It is not a mistake when it happens over and over again.
Nathan Winograd
It is astonishing that Google search results throw up thousands of cases of so-called accidental ‘euthanasias’. They can’t all be accidents. More likely accidents waiting to happen due to bad management and a lack of committment to animal welfare.
To avert further such incidents, it is crucial to hold responsible parties accountable for their actions, whether intentional or due to negligence. Those staff members involved should be subject to appropriate consequences.
ANIMAL SHELTERS – click the link for some more articles on animal shelters and/or use the search facility for more.
I agree with Nathan. I’ve read many a story of “accidental” euthanasia. It happens to the bully breeds all the time. Sometimes it happens within minutes of a dog being brought in and it’s owner didn’t even get the allotted days to find their pet. Even rescues go to pick up a dog they put a hold on and it’s been murdered by staff. I am glad my local shelter is no kill.