{"id":5687,"date":"2022-04-18T06:32:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T06:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/"},"modified":"2022-04-19T11:16:27","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T11:16:27","slug":"why-do-kill-shelters-exist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do kill shelters exist?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_kill_shelters_exist\" title=\"Why do kill shelters exist?\">Why do kill shelters exist?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_are_animals_euthanized\" title=\"Why are animals euthanized?\">Why are animals euthanized?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#What_are_the_best_no_kill_animal_shelters\" title=\"What are the best no kill animal shelters?\">What are the best no kill animal shelters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_kill_shelters_still_exist\" title=\"Why do kill shelters still exist?\">Why do kill shelters still exist?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Are_no-kill_shelters_good\" title=\"Are no-kill shelters good?\">Are no-kill shelters good?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_kill_shelters_exist_in_the_US\" title=\"How many kill shelters exist in the US?\">How many kill shelters exist in the US?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_they_euthanize_pets\" title=\"Why do they euthanize pets?\">Why do they euthanize pets?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Do_animals_feel_pain_when_euthanized\" title=\"Do animals feel pain when euthanized?\">Do animals feel pain when euthanized?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_are_healthy_animals_euthanized\" title=\"Why are healthy animals euthanized?\">Why are healthy animals euthanized?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#What_do_they_do_with_euthanized_animals\" title=\"What do they do with euthanized animals?\">What do they do with euthanized animals?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#What_is_the_largest_no-kill_animal_shelter\" title=\"What is the largest no-kill animal shelter?\">What is the largest no-kill animal shelter?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_no-kill_animal_shelters_are_in_the_US\" title=\"How many no-kill animal shelters are in the US?\">How many no-kill animal shelters are in the US?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Do_the_Rspca_put_healthy_animals_down\" title=\"Do the Rspca put healthy animals down?\">Do the Rspca put healthy animals down?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Are_there_still_kill_shelters_in_the_US\" title=\"Are there still kill shelters in the US?\">Are there still kill shelters in the US?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_animal_shelters_exist\" title=\"Why do animal shelters exist?\">Why do animal shelters exist?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_shelters_in_the_US_are_no_kill\" title=\"How many shelters in the US are no kill?\">How many shelters in the US are no kill?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_kill_shelters_are_in_the_US\" title=\"How many kill shelters are in the US?\">How many kill shelters are in the US?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_no-kill_shelters_are_there_in_the_US\" title=\"How many no-kill shelters are there in the US?\">How many no-kill shelters are there in the US?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_animal_shelters_are_in_the_US_2021\" title=\"How many animal shelters are in the US 2021?\">How many animal shelters are in the US 2021?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#How_many_animals_are_killed_in_US_shelters_each_year\" title=\"How many animals are killed in US shelters each year?\">How many animals are killed in US shelters each year?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_people_put_down_their_pet\" title=\"Why do people put down their pet?\">Why do people put down their pet?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#At_what_point_do_you_euthanize_a_pet\" title=\"At what point do you euthanize a pet?\">At what point do you euthanize a pet?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Why_do_we_have_to_euthanize_dogs\" title=\"Why do we have to euthanize dogs?\">Why do we have to euthanize dogs?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Is_it_painful_for_animals_to_be_put_to_sleep\" title=\"Is it painful for animals to be put to sleep?\">Is it painful for animals to be put to sleep?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/why-do-kill-shelters-exist\/#Do_animals_feel_anything_when_they_are_euthanized\" title=\"Do animals feel anything when they are euthanized?\">Do animals feel anything when they are euthanized?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_kill_shelters_exist\"><\/span>Why do kill shelters exist?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These shelters are often forced to euthanize animals <b>based on their duration of stay so they will have enough cage space available to accept all animals. So just because a dog or cat is in good health and has a good temperament does not mean he will not be euthanized.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_are_animals_euthanized\"><\/span>Why are animals euthanized?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For animal shelters, the main reason to euthanize animals is <b>overcrowding of the shelters due to an overpopulation of unwanted and abandoned animals.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_best_no_kill_animal_shelters\"><\/span>What are the best no kill animal shelters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If your dog doesn&#8217;t get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, <b>it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn&#8217;t full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed, it may get a stay of execution, though not for long.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_kill_shelters_still_exist\"><\/span>Why do kill shelters still exist?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>These shelters are often forced to euthanize animals based on their duration of stay so they will have enough cage space available to accept all animals. So just because a dog or cat is in good health and has a good temperament does not mean he will not be euthanized.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_no-kill_shelters_good\"><\/span>Are no-kill shelters good?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>They also do not euthanize animals when the shelter is full. Euthanization is reserved for those that are deemed dangerous and\/or terminally ill. <b>The animals in no-kill shelters are often healthier and more energetic because they are usually young when they are dropped off, giving more incentive for people to adopt.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_kill_shelters_exist_in_the_US\"><\/span>How many kill shelters exist in the US?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The US boasts <b>more than 2,000 no-kill shelters. In 2019, Delaware became the first no-kill shelter state.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_they_euthanize_pets\"><\/span>Why do they euthanize pets?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When an owner and veterinarian decide that a pet is suffering or unlikely to make a recovery, <b>euthanasia offers a way to end a pet&#8217;s pain. It may also help an owner decide whether they wish to be present during the euthanasia. Initially, a pet is made as comfortable as possible.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_animals_feel_pain_when_euthanized\"><\/span>Do animals feel pain when euthanized?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>The euthanasia process itself does not hurt, but is similar to going under anesthesia, so your pet may feel odd as they lose consciousness, leading to odd noises or movements. With prior sedation, we can often minimize unusual mannerisms caused by the unconsciousness-inducing effect of the euthanasia solution.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_are_healthy_animals_euthanized\"><\/span>Why are healthy animals euthanized?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Usually a pet is euthanized <b>because it is sick and there is a quality-of-life issue, but she said that&#8217;s not always the case. Unfortunately it might be monetary, it may be age, it may be moving. It can be a lot of reasons, she said.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_they_do_with_euthanized_animals\"><\/span>What do they do with euthanized animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Remains. Many pet owners choose to have <b>their pets cremated or buried after the pet is euthanized, and there are pet funeral homes that specialize in animal burial or cremation. Otherwise, the animal facility will often freeze the body and subsequently send it to the local landfill.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_largest_no-kill_animal_shelter\"><\/span>What is the largest no-kill animal shelter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Best Friends Animal Society<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_no-kill_animal_shelters_are_in_the_US\"><\/span>How many no-kill animal shelters are in the US?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>They also do not euthanize animals when the shelter is full. Euthanization is reserved for those that are deemed dangerous and\/or terminally ill. <b>The animals in no-kill shelters are often healthier and more energetic because they are usually young when they are dropped off, giving more incentive for people to adopt.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_the_Rspca_put_healthy_animals_down\"><\/span>Do the Rspca put healthy animals down?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Announcement that the number of dogs and cats killed each year in America&#8217;s shelters has dropped from around 733,000 in 2018 to 625,000 in 2019 and that there are now <b>over 5,500 no-kill communities around the nation.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_there_still_kill_shelters_in_the_US\"><\/span>Are there still kill shelters in the US?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These shelters are often forced to euthanize animals <b>based on their duration of stay so they will have enough cage space available to accept all animals. So just because a dog or cat is in good health and has a good temperament does not mean he will not be euthanized.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_animal_shelters_exist\"><\/span>Why do animal shelters exist?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>The US boasts more than 2,000 no-kill shelters. In 2019, Delaware became the first no-kill shelter state. There are around 70 million stray animals in the US. Only one out of every ten dogs will find a permanent home.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_shelters_in_the_US_are_no_kill\"><\/span>How many shelters in the US are no kill?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>These shelters are often forced to euthanize animals based on their duration of stay so they will have enough cage space available to accept all animals. So just because a dog or cat is in good health and has a good temperament does not mean he will not be euthanized.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_kill_shelters_are_in_the_US\"><\/span>How many kill shelters are in the US?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The US boasts <b>more than 2,000 no-kill shelters. In 2019, Delaware became the first no-kill shelter state.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_no-kill_shelters_are_there_in_the_US\"><\/span>How many no-kill shelters are there in the US?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Announcement that the number of dogs and cats killed each year in America&#8217;s shelters has dropped from around 733,000 in 2018 to 625,000 in 2019 and that there are now <b>over 5,500 no-kill communities around the nation.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_animal_shelters_are_in_the_US_2021\"><\/span>How many animal shelters are in the US 2021?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>3,500 animal shelters<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_animals_are_killed_in_US_shelters_each_year\"><\/span>How many animals are killed in US shelters each year?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Each year, <b>approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats). The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_people_put_down_their_pet\"><\/span>Why do people put down their pet?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Why Vets Use Euthanasia Euthanasia in animals is <b>intended to end life when a pet is suffering and there is little or no hope of recovery from illness or injury. As a pet owner, the decision whether or not to euthanize can be a very difficult one to make.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"At_what_point_do_you_euthanize_a_pet\"><\/span>At what point do you euthanize a pet?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A veterinarian may recommend euthanasia, which is a humane death, when other options to reduce pain and distress are no longer helpful. Euthanasia may be recommended <b>when you least expect it, such as if your pet is diagnosed with a terminal illness or if they&#8217;ve been in a debilitating accident.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_we_have_to_euthanize_dogs\"><\/span>Why do we have to euthanize dogs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Persistent and incurable inability to eat, vomiting, signs of pain, distress or discomfort, or difficulty in breathing are all indications that euthanasia should be considered. You and your family know your dog better than anyone else, so try to make a reasoned judgement on his or her quality of life.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_painful_for_animals_to_be_put_to_sleep\"><\/span>Is it painful for animals to be put to sleep?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Our vets want you to know that the <b>euthanasia process is almost completely painless. Putting a pet to sleep is a two part process: A vet will start by giving your pet an IV which is usually painless or nearly painless, depending on your pet&#8217;s tolerance for shots. If there is any pain, it will be very short-lived.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_animals_feel_anything_when_they_are_euthanized\"><\/span>Do animals feel anything when they are euthanized?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since the pet is not conscious, <b>they do not feel anything. Most times, the animal passes away so smoothly, that it is difficult to tell until the veterinarian listens for absence of a heartbeat. The eyes remain open in most cases.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents Why do kill shelters exist?Why are animals euthanized?What are the best no kill animal shelters?Why do kill shelters still exist?Are no-kill shelters good?How many kill shelters exist in the US?Why do they euthanize pets?Do animals feel pain when euthanized?Why are healthy animals euthanized?What do they do with euthanized animals?What is the largest&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[619],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-animal"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5687"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5687"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67210,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5687\/revisions\/67210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}