Some good news

13 years ago

The San Francisco Examiner newspaper names Kansas City, Kansas as one of several communities leading the nation in efforts to prevent euthanasia of homeless dogs and cats. The newspaper reports that the San Francisco Animal Control program was once considered to be the leader of the "no-kill" movement, but has fallen behind other communities. The article says the KCK Animal Control program has not only exceeded San Francisco's rate of lifesaving, but has achieved "no-kill" status despite a higher number of stray animals and an economy harder hit by the recession.

Wyandotte County is now the only "no-kill county in the Kansas City metro due to an innovative partnership between the KCK Animal Control Service and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City. The Ray of Hope partnership has dramatically reduced the euthanasia rate at the KCK Animal Control Facility from 70% in 2007 to less than 1% in 2010. Only vicious and seriously ill animals are euthanized.

Humane Society officials say despite a strong emphasis on spay/neuter services and education, the number of homeless animals coming into both shelters is growing. The biggest cause is people who simply abandoned their pets because they are moving and can't take the pets with them. An animals dumped because they are part of unwanted litters is also a major contributor.

And that is in a city that has banned pit bulls and pit type breeds.

Comments (4)

murraysmom Zone 6a OH
13 years ago
That is amazing and wonderful!! It should become a model for all humane societies in this country.
cal_dreamer
13 years ago
Wow, from 70% to less than 1% in 3 years is incredible!

It is heartbreaking to see how many dogs have been dumped due to the economy, and while I was at the emergency vet a few months ago, we talked about how many dogs they have had to put down recently because the families decided the vet bills would be too much. What a horrible decision to have to make.

Our town has a pretty good rate, but also has a good volunteer infrastructure that staffs adoption events, open houses, etc.

The city next door is much more economically depressed, has 6-7 dogs in every kennel and gets more in every day. The worst of the worst - the aggressive, the sick, the injured, the abused. Their kill rate is pretty high and they just don't have much volunteer support or money. We took over a trunkload of old blankets and towels, and the staff was so grateful!

Hpefully things will get better, but until then, I'll keep singing the praises of rescue dogs, spay and neuter, and speak out against backyard breeding.
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trekaren
13 years ago
We have been spay-neuter preachers for years, and even moreso in last few years, since my neighbor fosters dozens of dumped unwanted kittens every spring and summer.

And then I just got into a debate with my other neighbor, who really believes "every child should get the chance to experience their cat/dog having kittens/puppies at least once in their life."

I countered with, "Every child should have to volunteer in an animal foster home, and sit up all night during the round-the-clock feedings of unweaned kittens/puppies. Every child should have to volunteer in a no kill shelter, to really understand how many puppies/kittens are filling our world."

She countered with, "Well it was ok in our case since it was a pure-breed lab, and those are easier to adopt."

I did tell her how many pure-breeds are also in these no kill shelter, cats and dogs both.

What a world we live in.

Glad there are no-kill shelters making progress. One of our cats came from a no-kill shelter that we give support to, and the other came from our neighbor's foster kittens a few years back.
calliope
13 years ago
I get so weary of people breeding animals so children can 'experience' a birth and puppies/kittens. I took in a dumped kitten after my daughter rescued it on a cold, rainy night. It couldn't have been more than eight or nine weeks old.

She vetted it and then invested a lot of money in it to give it a chance, and I took over the care. It was doomed from the start due to injuries sustained when it was dumped. It had not only some pelvic fractures, but neurological damage and out of pity for the quality of its life, I had to have it put down before it ever had a chance. It had two weeks of warmth, food and love. That's what happens to most kittens from un-spayed outdoor cats and a good many kittens of un-spayed indoor cats. What a waste and how heart breaking.