"Board eyes spike in euthanasia" makes for a gripping headline (see Sept. 25 Citizen); one sure to inflame and/or sadden many animal lovers. It implies that this heartless "board," the Good Shepherd Humane Society (GSHS) board of directors, is looking to increase the number of animals killed at the animal shelter. That implication is dead wrong.

It is true that more animals than normal died or were put down at the shelter in the six-week period ending in mid-September, 24 cats and 5 dogs. Most of the cats suffered from a contagious and lethal respiratory infection that did not respond to the vet's treatment. The infected cats posed a health threat to the other shelter animals and possibly the staff. Limited euthanasia was the best of all the bad options.

Some animals don't adapt to a shelter environment. The stress of being confined with so many other caged, out-of-their-element animals drives some dogs batty. Their personalities can change to where they become a danger to themselves, other animals or the people caring for them. The shelter staff monitors the dogs for signs of anti-social behavior, and, with the help of volunteers, works to socialize the animals to make them suitable for adoption. If these animals can't be socialized, euthanasia is the humane solution.

New policy

GSHS works hard to keep the shelter a low-kill facility. The changes in policy adopted at the recent board meeting are designed to help staff and the shelter committee evaluate the animals as to which can potentially find good homes and which are unadoptable. The new policy insures that the animals are assessed according to guidelines developed by a coalition of animal-advocate organizations as a way of reducing euthanasia.

Missing from the article was any mention of the great number of adoptions from the shelter. Last year, thanks to very dedicated volunteers and staff members, homes were found for 403 dogs and 329 cats (732 animals). For the year, fewer than 60 shelter animals died or had to be put down. Based on our population, those are numbers of which GSHS and the community should be proud.

An unfortunate reality

Unfortunately, euthanasia is a reality of animal control, and maybe the silver lining of a sensational headline is that it allows for frank discussion of a grim truth. The notion of a no-kill shelter is desirable, but na*ve. For every no-kill shelter, there is a parallel "dog pound" doing the dirty work just down the road. Fact is, there are many more animals than homes, and all the unwanted animals can't just roam around wild in packs.

And they can't all just live out their natural lives in animal shelters, which is why unadopted animals must eventually face euthanasia. Shelters, no matter how well financed, fill up. With a no-kill policy, a shelter inevitably becomes a retirement home for a limited number of animals, while more adoptable animals are turned away for lack of space. Many of those adoptable animals will wind up dead.

There are many animal lovers who give oodles of time and money to help GSHS fulfill its mission of finding homes for animals, providing shelter to the homeless, and reducing the numbers of unwanted animals through spay/neuter education and clinics. Anyone inflamed or saddened by reading about euthanasia can certainly help GSHS get the numbers down. There are solutions.

Benefactors needed

Keeping infectious diseases out of the shelter is one way of reducing the need for euthanasia, but currently that is difficult due to the shelter infrastructure. While shelter staff does its best to isolate animals suspected of being sick, shared ductwork in a single building does not allow for true isolation. The board is working to raise money to build a separate isolation building to resolve this problem. Any benefactors out there?

Volunteers who walk and help socialize the animals at the shelter increase their chances for happy endings. Providing a foster home for a dog showing early signs of "kennel craze" will help save an animal. Becoming an active member of GSHS, adopting an animal, volunteering time or donating money are all good ways to lower the euthanasia numbers. Even shopping at the GSHS thrift stores helps (news flash -- a new Doggie Shop will open soon in Berryville).

But until we, as a society, get a handle on the pet population explosion, euthanasia will be a solution. The most effective thing animal lovers can do is spay or neuter their animals, and help educate their friends and neighbors about the killing that results from them allowing their animals to reproduce. Or, to put it simply: Please, don't litter.

[Editor's note: Bill King, a former editor of the Citizen, serves on the GSHS board.]