PETA is Wrong about No-kill Shelters

PETA is against no-kill animal shelters and rescue groups. They argue that they actually slowly kill animals. They argue that the animals die in miserable conditions or because the shelters are full (as the video shows), unwanted cats and dogs are cruelly killed, one way and other, by people who don’t want them. They say that when a no-kill animal shelter is full to capacity the animals are shipped out to warehouses where they live out the remainder of their short lives in very poor conditions.

In contrast, they say it is far better to euthanize unwanted cats and dogs at open admission rescue centers rather than have a goal (no-kill) which is unattainable and unworkable. The video below is telling us that no-kill shelters are failures because they are full.

http://youtu.be/8P79Vgvo6b8

However, for me, PETA have overlooked a very important point. Firstly, their policy is a policy of failure and defeat. As long as people strive to create true no-kill shelters they are striving to improve the welfare of cats and dogs which are hopefully unwanted, temporarily. Within this process there is failure, which is exactly what PETA is referring to. But failures within an overall sound and humane policy is not an argument to ditch the entire policy. The old adage applies: don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. The response, as Nathan Winograd states, is to improve management and use enlightened methods to increase adoption rates.

In addition, the policy of killing unwanted cats is one which encourages irresponsible cat ownership. It does this because it creates an outlet for failure in cat ownership. Open admission shelters with high killing rates are always there ready to pick up and kill-off the mess that irresponsible cat ownership leaves. They kill the problem efficiently and literally but they are a short term solution that fails in the long run as the current state of affairs attests. The solution of killing unwanted cats arising out of irresponsible cat ownership is very straightforward and an instant solution.  It supports irresponsible cat ownership.

Rather than indirectly supporting poor cat ownership, people who have a tendency to be neglectful and poor at cat caretaking need to encounter barriers to keeping a cat or cats. Society needs to put them through some hoops and hurdles before adoption, to weed out the bad ones. Regrettably, and ultimately, this means making it more difficult to own a cat, which I hate to say is a good thing in the long run and long terms solutions are always the best.

In short, killing unwanted cats makes it easier to be a neglectful cat owner while presenting barriers to cat ownership makes it harder for neglectful cat owners to exist.

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32 thoughts on “PETA is Wrong about No-kill Shelters”

  1. Wanting to believe that “no-kill” is the answer is understandable, but turning a blind eye to the reality of these facilities is not. No-kill means SLOW-KILL. Dogs and cats need love, attention, play and to be part of a family … not sitting in cages waiting for a home that does not exist. It’s that simple. I applaud PETA for doing the heartbreaking, thankless work and those who are condemning them are in profound denial about the scope and scale of this crisis.

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    • That’s okay if you don’t believe what’s happening to everyone’s free roaming cats. Just don’t be surprised when yours (if you let it roam free) doesn’t come home one day. Keep making excuses…..remainder deleted by admin

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    • I suggest you tell that to the families of everyone who died from cat-transmitted plague in the USA in the last 2 decades.

      See, you’re a perfect example of the problem. No matter how much we educate you and try to reason with you and teach you how to respect all others’ lives around you, you will continue to make excuses. This is why people now realize it’s far easier to just destroy your cats for you rather than trying to even confront you about it. You’ll be lucky if you get even one warning from a displeased neighbor today.

      Reply
      • Jim, can you bring at least 2 people forward who will comment on this site who have the same thinking as yourself? And, I don’t mean another one of your aliases.

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        • Here’s a good read to show you what happens to every last one of these relocated invasive-species disease-infested vermin feral-cats that people dump-off on farms and in other rural areas in ANY location of North America….

          rest deleted by admin…

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          • I was going to commend you for being so cordial, but now you’re starting to spiral. If coming here sets you off so, knowing that you will never make an impact on anyone, why do you bother? Do you just want to see how high you can jack your blood pressure?
            Jim, the truth is that you’re not in the country anymore. Your good ‘ole boy Texas days are gone. Your mentality won’t work in the civilized area where you reside now. I don’t expect your attitude towards cats to change; but, for your own sake and safety, it may be best for you to just shut up.

            Reply

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