I am posting this (and it is long) because I think our society needs a huge "Wake-up" call. As an animal rescurer, I am going to share a little insight with you all...a view from the inside if you will.

Anyone that wants to deny the truth, should be made to work in the "back" of an animal shelter or adoption center for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don't even know…that pet you just sold will most likely end up in my adoption center, animal control or the humane society when it's not a cute anymore.

So how would you feel if you knew that there's about a 90% chance that pet will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at? Purebred or not! About 50% of all of the pets that are "owner surrenders" or "strays", that come into my care are purebred .

The most common excuses I hear are; "We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat)." Really? Where are you moving too that doesn't allow pets? Or they say "The dog got bigger than we thought it would". How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? "We don't have time for her…". Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 38 sanctuary cats and dogs! "She's tearing up our yard…". How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me "We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her and we know she'll get adopted, she's a good dog".

Odds are your pet won't get adopted & how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you…your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off…sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your pet manages to stay completely healthy…if it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it.

If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don't, your pet won't get much attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the "Bully" breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc…) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door of animal control or the humane society. Those just don't get adopted.

If your pet doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it may be destroyed. If the shelter isn't full and your pet is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed…it may get a stay of execution…not for long though. Most get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression…even the sweetest pet will turn in this environment.

If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles…chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don't have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.

Here's a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down". First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash…they always look like they think they are going for a walk…happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to "The Room", every one of them freaks out and puts on the breaks when we get to the door…it must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there. It's strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a tech or a vet will start the process…

You'll never know what happened and it probably won't even cross your mind…it was just an animal and you can always buy another one right?

I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head… I do everyday on the way home from work. I hate my job, I hate that it exists and I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at an animal control or humane society shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this is DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Hate me or flag me if you want to. The truth hurts and reality is what it is… I just hope I maybe changed one persons mind about taking their loving pet to animal control or the humane society, or buying a pet.

I hope that someone will walk into my adoption center and say "I saw this thing on a message board and it made me want to "adopt" … "that would make it all worth it."

This was from Michael ..One who cares
It's Meow or Never Animal Sanctuary
I thank you for these words..I pray it helps

I do not work at a shelter at this time, but in the past I have.
I rescued my Mist & Annie from a shelter, My Gyp came to me by way of Momma cat of the neighborhood,
They have been such a blessing to me

As luck would have it, I was with a 'NO KILL' cat shelter!
called "New Leash On life" We kept the cats as long as needed-some we have had over 5 years.

At this time I work with a lady who does private rescue and pays all from her own pocket, while rehoming the cats. All are spayed/ nuttered, and have up to date vaccinations. When they go to homes they are healthy, if there is one that is ill, all that is possible is done for it, OR it has come to it's final forever home.

Thanks for your Visit to this page..it was rough to do..

Should you find this page upsetting I am sorry..But it is Truth. Please,when you get a pet, make it for a lifetime.

KC..


I an a proud member of
"It's Meow or Never Animal Sanctuary "
please press the link below to view our video