What do you think? I just dont know whats worse..

Vailery

Last weekend hubby and I stopped by a animal shelter we had never been to. We were just planning on looking and giving some of the animals attention. When we went in they told us it was a no kill shelter. I have never been to one but always thought it was good thing considering Im an animal lover. We went into the cat section and it was overrun with over 150 cats. This was alarming obviously, but I still wasn't too phased by this considering they dont kill. The first cat I looked at had been there for 5 months. I could not believe it, it just seemed like so long to be stuck in a cage. The next cat I looked at had been there 5 YEARS!! I was shocked. As I read more about this kitty it said she had been adopted 3 times and was brought back after a week or so each time. The next cat I looked at had been there 4 years and came in as a kitten. This was the most surprising because I always thought kittens were adopted more easily. As I took my time looking at the poor kitties it became clear most of them had been there over a year and had been adopted and returned. There were 13 cats with feline AIDS and many with missing eyes, legs, or tails.

By the way if you feel like you need a good cry stop on by a no kill shelter! Shesh :sad:

We left after a half an hour because it was just too sad and I would have left with a cat if I would have stayed any longer. (I have 4 cats already lol) I have been thinking about this for a couple days now and still dont know what is worse, killing them off or having them live in a cage for years only to be adopted out then returned. I can only imagine how hard it would be to help one those cats be able to live out a normal life after being in a cage so long.

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this too?

muffin_shufflin

I think I would legitimately look like this > :sad:

I love animals too much. My cats are my "babies". So to see animals that have been abused, stuck in a cage for YEARS, & repeatedly be brought back would just break my heart.

NewTeena

I find the feline AIDS rather startling, are those cats up for adoption? I mean, to me anyway, it just seems that it would be more humane to put an animal that is that sick to sleep. Granted, I don't know if feline AIDS has the same infection transfer methods as human AIDS, but it can't be good for the population as a whole. As for the injured animals, I would think they're more adoptable, there are plenty of people who would love them.

I would imagine an animal that has spent it's entire life in a cage would find it extremely difficult on the outside. Sad to say this happens amongst institutionalized people as well (I'm thinking of the prison population), when presented with so much freedom, they are unable to behave in an appropriate manner because they've never been taught. Those animals definitely need the right pet owner, and I'm guessing wouldn't make great "family" pets.

Certainly food for thought next time one considers where to obtain their next animal from.

hbrittingham

FYI, it's not AIDS, it's FIV which is the equivalent of HIV in humans. It causes a suppressed immune system, but they aren't sick per se.

No kill shelters can be nice and well run, or they can be like the one you went to. I think that a no kill shelter does have it's place in rescue, but they have to be sure not to cross the line into hoarding or doing more harm than good.

LorinaLynn

I'm getting teary-eyed thinking about it. But with seven cats and a dog... there's no room. There was no room after four cats, but a stray with newborn kittens showed up, and... well, I found SOME of them new homes. :blushing:

The *best* option, obviously, is if everyone spayed and neutered so we didn't HAVE this overpopulation problem. Instead, you get idiots who think, "Oh, look at the cute kitten!" then toss it outside as soon as it gets hormone related "problems" like going into heat or spraying.

I like the idea of a no-kill shelter, but the reality of it isn't all that humane, either. If they were in a room, and could stretch out, run around, act like cats, etc... fine. But to stay in a cage, that's horrible. Plus, having worked in a county shelter (also heartbreaking) with a high euthanasia rate, a lot of the "no kill" places have very limited admittance. They (not this one, obviously) only hand pick the most adoptable cats or dogs, and turn the rest away, where they either get dumped or taken to a kill-shelter.

FYI... Feline AIDS (FIV) isn't terribly contagious, only through sexual activity or deep bites. So a cat with it can live a fairly normal life. Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a LOT more contagious, but they too can live a normal life for several years. The vaccination for FeLV is pretty good, but the FIV one isn't (or wasn't, when I was last working for a vet) as reliable.

FlyByJuly

I find the feline AIDS rather startling, are those cats up for adoption? I mean, to me anyway, it just seems that it would be more humane to put an animal that is that sick to sleep. Granted, I don't know if feline AIDS has the same infection transfer methods as human AIDS, but it can't be good for the population as a whole. As for the injured animals, I would think they're more adoptable, there are plenty of people who would love them.

I would imagine an animal that has spent it's entire life in a cage would find it extremely difficult on the outside. Sad to say this happens amongst institutionalized people as well (I'm thinking of the prison population), when presented with so much freedom, they are unable to behave in an appropriate manner because they've never been taught. Those animals definitely need the right pet owner, and I'm guessing wouldn't make great "family" pets.

Certainly food for thought next time one considers where to obtain their next animal from.

A cat with FIV can live a happy, healthy life. It can even live with non-FIV cats. I know an FIV cat. He's not sick. He just has FIV.

firesoforion

Sad that people just can't take care of animals so this isn't necessary, but particularly given some of the stories I've heard of (reputable) kill shelters, I'd take a no-kill any day of the week. You'd think these were just random questionable "shelters," but no, they are all affiliated with the Humane Society except the one which is the main Dumb Friends League location in Denver...

For instance, someone takes a litter of kittens to the Dumb Friends League, and they euthanize them before they even put them up for adoption. When the person who had given the litter to the one who took it to the DFL found out (within about half an hour), she rushes over and tries to get them back, but they've already been euthanized. "This is a business, you know." was the response of the shelter manager.

People adopting dogs and having them euthanized before they actually have a chance to pick them up after having them adopted.

Kill shelters taking animals from no-kill shelters and just not feeding them, adopting as many as they can out and then euthanizing the rest before they have the need to waste food on them.

So, there is a problem with the overwhelming need for shelters in this world, but at least a no kill one is going to view it less as a business and more as a genuine shelter situation, so I'd pretty much adopt from and support no kill shelters exclusively at this point.

And yeah, Feline Lukemia and Feline AIDS/FIV are different from their human counterparts. An FIV positive cat can live a pretty happy and healthy life. A cat with Feline Lukemia is in a bit of a harder position, but can still live into old age with proper care.

Vailery

Very interesting. I know nothing about how either shelter works so thank you for pointing some light on the issue!