Question:
by Ruth Davenport, The Daily News
Just in time for spring & kitten season, the provincial SPCA is implementing a "low-kill" policy @ the metro Halifax shelter.
SPCA president Judith Gass explained the change is in response to high euthanasia #s @ the shelter. Gass said approximately 54 % of the cats & 30% of the dogs that came to the shelter last year were put down...
The new policy means that animals who are critically ill, suffering or dangerously aggressive will still be euthanized, though the shelter will not perform any euthanasia on site. And animals won't be put down to make space in the shelter.
"We can't control animal population through euthanasia", said Gass. "We have to be more aggressive with spay & neuter programs, with getting adoptions & seeking foster homes."
At the metro shelter, the effects of the decision to restrict euthanasia are already being felt.
"We are jam-packed full," said acting shelter supervisor Pamela Keddy. "We're taking in all strays & we're getting a lot of people dropping off animals in the middle of the night. We have to put them somehwere".
Keddy said the shelter is beginning to refuse "owned" animals- pets whose owners can't or won't care for them anymore. Carnegy said that selective admission is just one byproduct of a low-kill policy that could result in a backfire.


Answer:
Our policy is the same...only dangerous, seriously sick or injured, are euthanized. We have a wonderful foster program (In 2002, 1300 animals were fostered before adoption).
The spring/summer months are very FULL and a hectic time and "owned animals" are by appointment only, as we are there firstly for the strays. I'm sure they will find that those "owned" animals that they are refusing will show up anyway as "strays"! If they refuse them, what else are these people going to do but "dump" them...


Answer:
I agree with your point, suzoo, if the shelter has to refuse 'owned' animals, their owners are just going to dump there wherever it's convenient, along the highway in the countryside, who knows. I definately appareciate their efforts in becoming a low-kill shelter, but sometimes it seems like such an uphill battle. Maybe together with their low-kill policy, the shelter can try to foster more animals out to help with the space problem.