No Kill Shelters

[She's a witch]

I’m sorry but I don’t know where to place this post.
I was planning to restart volunteering in the shelter here in US so I looked up no kill shelters in my area. But to my surprise, although they call themselves “no kill”, they say in the description that they don’t kill adaptable cats. So does it really mean that no kill shelters really kill not adaptable cats (whatever it means for them)?

 

[FeebysOwner]

From what I have learned so far, to get clarification means an in depth discussion with each shelter to get their specific 'policies'. Some shelters have specific fosters who work with 'debateable' cats. Others work with farms and rural neighbors to take care of cats in a more feral type setting. They are all different and if you don't quiz them, you won't know for sure.

 

[Talien]

Generally if a place calls itself "no kill" it means they won't euthanize animals for being there too long, instead they will close intakes until they have room for more animals. Policies will vary from shelter to shelter but the most common reasons for euthanasia are incurable/untreatable conditions that are causing suffering, repeat biting of people, and extreme aggression.

 

[FeebysOwner]

There are also no-kill shelters that are not really shelters. They rely on fosters and donations. Some partner with pet stores for funding and support, and they provide those stores with kittens/cats to adopt. The fosters are designated to work with cats with issues, or just house cats through pregnancies, testing, shots, etc. And, some as I said partner with farms, etc. that are willing to take care of non-adoptable cats (not sick/terminal).

 

[She's a witch]

Thank you all for your response. I guess I need to do more research and conversations before committing. It’s difficult topic for me so I need to prepare and not get emotional I cannot foster now so it would be helping on site

 

[kittychick]

Good for you for #1 - wanting to volunteer!!! Good for you! I don't think there's a shelter out there that can't use good volunteers!!! Any experience you have can undoubtably be put to use! Most shelters are happy to even have people who'll come and socialize. If dogs, etc. -- - it means walking, playing, etc., and if it's a cat shelter (or a shelter that has cats plus other things) socialization is still usually a critically needed position for volunteers (and one of the most fun part of volunteering - - - I know when I do that I'm pretty sure i get at least as much out of the time as the kitty does!).

And as many above have noted: the term "no-kill" can get dicey, as it's not a completely "standardized" term yet. Some shelters say they "only euthanize unadaptable pets" - and "unadaptable" is dicey too. I've read of shelters that say black animals are "unadoptable"....that doesn't quite jive with my definition of "unadoptable"!

Dig around online (looking at respectable organizations!).....and find out what each place you're looking at volunteering for "feels like." Don't be afraid to ask questions! And remember that - hopefully wherever you go, you'll be helping kitties that really need help!!!!!

 

[Willowy]

Yep, "no-kill" isn't a standardized term. You have to ask them individually what they mean. My mom is forever suspicious of no-kill shelters because she once took a cat to one and they killed her for being too shy.

So there are some that just mean they don't kill animals for space reasons, only for being "unadoptable", which can be something as minor as being the wrong color.

On the other side of the spectrum are true sanctuaries, that keep any animal their whole life and only put them down if the vet says they're at end-of-life and suffering.

 

[goingpostal]

Would you prefer that sick or unadoptable cats live in a shelter for their entire life? Shelters are an incredibly stressful place and I surely wouldn't want to live in a small cage in a loud place for up to 20 years. There are fates worse than death. No kill sounds lovely but it simply sends the problem down the road to the open admission shelters that accept all animals all the time and are forced to deal with the reality of that which includes lack of space and often lack of community support. Spend some time working at any shelter and you'll realize things are rarely black and white.

Sanctuaries, sound nice but many end up simply being hoarders or needing rescue themselves in a few years. It's more passing the buck and very few people check up on such places, especially once the former pet is out of sight. It's like the dropping them off at a farm thing, our local rescues do that and who ever checks on those cats again? Who notices or cares when said farmer shows up and wants another half dozen cats? Were they eaten by his dogs, killed by wild animals, who knows, but we got rid of another bunch of unadoptable cats so our numbers look good....all I'm saying is there is more than numbers and ideas and it's good to check out what's actually happening before judging. Try a place out and see how the animals are treated and cared for.

 

[marmoset]

Everyone I know who has worked at a shelter feels apprehensive about coping with animals being euthanized. I feel that open admission shelters are important but I couldn't work at one because I am very sensitive about it. I found a great no-kill free range shelter and I've been there for years.

We don't euthanize any cat unless there is no option. In the 4 years I've been there we have never put down a cat for behavior issues. We have select volunteers who specialize in rehabbing cats with behavioral issues (and others handle medical issues, or at home hospice care). So in short, there is no need to just euthanize a cat for behavior or even illness- until the illness is too advanced.

Anytime we do euthanize it is because it was medically not possible to treat the cat or we've tried all other alternatives medically and the vet gives the opinion that the animal is suffering and that further radical medical treatment would be complicated by a comorbid illness or that by simply doing surgery/ radiation etc. type treatments would still result in a poor prognosis. Thus, we give the residents excellent medical care and go above and beyond what many pet owners will do. We do what owners want to do but sometimes cannot due to funds, or not being able to care for an animal that has become high maintenance (receiving fluids, medications and even grooming) due to a condition.

I'd consider the shelter I'm at to be wonderful for the amount of attention each cat gets and for the team of vets and vet specialists that we work with.

I can't speak for all shelters or all no-kill shelters cats at our shelter that are there for years do not have a fate worse than death! They have it cozy! I mean it too. The environment is 100% cat friendly so cats don't have to feel like they are ontop of one another or crowded. It's a quiet environment as well except when its feeding time. Then the shelter gets noisy! I have referred to getting a cat into the shelter as getting into Harvard- instead of getting the best education the cats get the best care, food and medical attention.

If you find a place like that then I think you should pursue volunteering. We are always desperate for volunteers, especially ones who can work morning or weekend shifts.

 

[She's a witch]

Would you prefer that sick or unadoptable cats live in a shelter for their entire life? Shelters are an incredibly stressful place and I surely wouldn't want to live in a small cage in a loud place for up to 20 years. There are fates worse than death. No kill sounds lovely but it simply sends the problem down the road to the open admission shelters that accept all animals all the time and are forced to deal with the reality of that which includes lack of space and often lack of community support. Spend some time working at any shelter and you'll realize things are rarely black and white.

Sanctuaries, sound nice but many end up simply being hoarders or needing rescue themselves in a few years. It's more passing the buck and very few people check up on such places, especially once the former pet is out of sight. It's like the dropping them off at a farm thing, our local rescues do that and who ever checks on those cats again? Who notices or cares when said farmer shows up and wants another half dozen cats? Were they eaten by his dogs, killed by wild animals, who knows, but we got rid of another bunch of unadoptable cats so our numbers look good....all I'm saying is there is more than numbers and ideas and it's good to check out what's actually happening before judging. Try a place out and see how the animals are treated and cared for.

Thanks so much for your perspective, it helps me get a bigger picture! I'm struggling with the idea of "kill shelters" as this is completely new to me. I've volunteered in shelters before but never in the US, so the system is new to me, and the places I worked in were all modern although the only exception euthanasia was allowed was to end the actual suffering from untreatable illness. Most of the effort was put into adoption attempts and advertisements with great success: I've got to know lots of people who actually decided to adopt a sick or old cats and gave them very good homes. So I cannot stop thinking that the chance would have been taken away from them if they'd be in the "kill" or even "no kill" shelters, as I'm finding out. Maybe we were lucky to meet such compassionate people, or - and this is probably more true - it happened in the countries where treating animals is not so insanely expensive as I find it here.
In addition, I have two cats that were very, very sick in their kitten hood, and there is no way they would survive this system (especially that one is black). Yet, they are loved, spoiled and have the best home.

I cannot stop thinking that it must be a better approach. I'm actually super surprised by the number of posts from people with unspayed/unneutered cats here on the forum- I wonder if the systemic effort was put into encouraging to spay/neuter, the number of animals in the shelters would drop, to the point that killing them wouldn't be necessary? There must be a better way.

 

[She's a witch]

Everyone I know who has worked at a shelter feels apprehensive about coping with animals being euthanized. I feel that open admission shelters are important but I couldn't work at one because I am very sensitive about it. I found a great no-kill free range shelter and I've been there for years.

We don't euthanize any cat unless there is no option. In the 4 years I've been there we have never put down a cat for behavior issues. We have select volunteers who specialize in rehabbing cats with behavioral issues (and others handle medical issues, or at home hospice care). So in short, there is no need to just euthanize a cat for behavior or even illness- until the illness is too advanced.

Anytime we do euthanize it is because it was medically not possible to treat the cat or we've tried all other alternatives medically and the vet gives the opinion that the animal is suffering and that further radical medical treatment would be complicated by a comorbid illness or that by simply doing surgery/ radiation etc. type treatments would still result in a poor prognosis. Thus, we give the residents excellent medical care and go above and beyond what many pet owners will do. We do what owners want to do but sometimes cannot due to funds, or not being able to care for an animal that has become high maintenance (receiving fluids, medications and even grooming) due to a condition.

I'd consider the shelter I'm at to be wonderful for the amount of attention each cat gets and for the team of vets and vet specialists that we work with.

I can't speak for all shelters or all no-kill shelters cats at our shelter that are there for years do not have a fate worse than death! They have it cozy! I mean it too. The environment is 100% cat friendly so cats don't have to feel like they are ontop of one another or crowded. It's a quiet environment as well except when its feeding time. Then the shelter gets noisy! I have referred to getting a cat into the shelter as getting into Harvard- instead of getting the best education the cats get the best care, food and medical attention.

If you find a place like that then I think you should pursue volunteering. We are always desperate for volunteers, especially ones who can work morning or weekend shifts.

It'd be awesome to find a place like this. But I cannot stop thinking, that maybe cats in less cat friendly environment would need me more?

 

[Talien]

I cannot stop thinking that it must be a better approach. I'm actually super surprised by the number of posts from people with unspayed/unneutered cats here on the forum- I wonder if the systemic effort was put into encouraging to spay/neuter, the number of animals in the shelters would drop, to the point that killing them wouldn't be necessary? There must be a better way.

This is the biggest problem with unwanted animals here in the US. Too many people are just too stupid/lazy/ignorant (yes there's a difference between stupid and ignorant) to spay/neuter their pets. I've talked to people who don't want to bother because it's expensive. I point out that there are many low cost options, but they don't want to make the effort because whatever BS excuse they come up with to cover the fact that they're just lazy. Then their pet either gets pregnant or starts spraying in the house and they kick them out, or take them somewhere out in the sticks and dump them off. They don't want to take them to a shelter because they don't want to be bothered filling out the paperwork and it's "just an animal anyway".

This kind of irresponsible attitude is the main reason that animal control offices are so overloaded and euthanize so many animals. Municipal animal control offices and such get a bad rep because they're required to admit every animal that is brought in, and this unfortunately means they have to euthanize otherwise healthy, adoptable animals to make room for more when they're full and still have animals coming in. But it's not as if the people who work there enjoy doing it or even want to do it, in the end it's not on them, it's on the people who decide to get a Cat or a Dog when they have no intention of doing whatever is needed to take care of them and discard their animals when they become more work than fun.

I think this video does a good job of putting it in perspective:

 

[Furballsmom]

But I cannot stop thinking, that maybe cats in less cat friendly environment would need me more?

It might definitely be worth a try Of course, keep in mind that it can be very challenging and that you may need to find a way to decompress and emotionally recuperate.

There will be many successes and joys, but even here on TCS, the feelings from the Crossing The Bridge forum and some other difficult threads can have an effect in daily living.

I have found that the website / app Stop Breath and Think helps - it's basically meditative breathing, and also hobbies that will take you completely out of that world.

 

[Kflowers]

Meditation a must. Trees silhouetted against the moon, Crop circles, I'm fond of the wall by my chair.

 

[Fish Em]

If I didn't grow up in the USA and read parts of this thread, I would think the whole country is like the film idiocracy. It's easy to point the finger and be judging all Americans lazy and stupid (and fat) but then there's actually doing something about the problems like it looks like OP is trying to do.