Why shelters kill animals in their care

By isak, July 16, 2011

I can’t see why killing animals based on this list is necessary. Did anyone think to ask them if they wanted to die? I have seen animals more dead than alive choose to fight the fight for life… and win. But that’s a whole other post.

How do your pets stand up to this test?

1. Aggressive towards humans
2. Behavioural
3. Blind
4. Cat flu
5. Compulsive, obsessive, stereotypic behaviour
6. Congenital defects
7. Contagious (quite vague)
8. Critical distress
9. Deaf
10. Declared dangerous
11. Dental disease
12. Dominance aggression
13. Dominant behaviour
14. Ear mites
15. Escape behaviour
16. Excessive vocalization
17. Failed BA (behaviour assessment)
18. Fearful/aggressive
19. Feline leukemia
20. Feral
21. FIV positive
22. Guarding behaviour
23. Hair loss-demodex
24. Hair loss-non specific
25. Hair loss-ring worm
26. Head trauma
27. Heartworm positive
28. Humane grounds
29. Hyper reactivity to stimuli
30. Hyperactive
31. Idiopathic aggression
32. Injured
33. Kennel cough
34. Kennel crazy
35. Lack of pigmentation (albino)
36. Litter box aversion
37. Neurological problems
38. Old
39. Orthopedic problems
40. Owner request
41. Parvo
42. Parvo contact
43. Poor condition
44. Seizures
45. Separation anxiety
46. Sick
47. Spraying stress
48. Tick paralysis
49. Timid/fearful with accompanying anxiety
50. Too many cats (space)
51. Too many dogs (space)
52. Too young
53. Trauma
54. Unsocial
55. Wolf hybrid
56. And of course, in some areas, just because of BSL (Breed Specific Legislation: the dog “looks” kind of like a Pit Bull or other legislated breed)

I myself fail this test on many points. Please don’t take me to a shelter when I get even older than I am.
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