I’m sure you have heard the terms, high-kill, low-kill, and no-kill shelters, right? Do you know what the difference is? Let’s find out and then you’ll read about an amazing rescue group that rescues dogs from high-kill shelters.
Low-Kill Shelter
A low-kill shelter is one that does all it can to place every animal that comes to their shelter in new homes. There is not a time limit for how long an animal can stay in a low-kill shelter. Any animal (shelter dogs) that is “adoptable” will not be euthanized to make room for another. The reasons an animal may be deemed “unadoptable” and therefore will be euthanized are when:
- An animal is too sick or injured beyond medical treatment
- The cost of medical treatments needed outweigh the probability of adoption
- The animal is suffering from severe kennel stress and has behavior issues that make it unlikely to find an appropriate home
High-Kill Shelter
The majority of animal shelters in the US are high-kill shelters. This means that the shelter does have a time limit for how long the shelter dogs can stay in their shelter even if they are “adoptable” and would make someone a wonderful pet. They simply were not adopted in time.
As a result of the sheer number of homeless dogs, most shelters have a limited amount of space. They allow a certain number of days for the animal to be claimed or adopted. If not, it is euthanized for no reason except its time had run out and no one has claimed or adopted him/her.
No-Kill Shelter
A no-kill shelter is pretty self-explanatory. They do not euthanize any dogs that come to their shelter no matter the cost to them for needed medical treatments, food, beds, blankets, or any other necessities. As a result, some animals spend their entire lives in the shelter because they are not adopted for various reasons.
No-kill shelters only take in animals of their choosing. They will not accept any animal that someone simply wants to drop off at their shelter.
Knowing this is sad and very upsetting for some. There are simply too many animals in the world for all to be adopted. This is one VERY GOOD REASON to have your pets spayed and neutered. When you do, you ensure that there won’t be more animals that need to go to shelters and are likely to be euthanized.
Tracy’s Paws
Thankfully there are people who find killing adoptable dogs unacceptable and have both the desire and the means to do something about it. This is where Tracy Whyatt comes in. In 2011 she was furloughed from her job for 6 weeks. So, to fill the time she went to the local animal shelters to take photos of dogs there in the hopes that they would be seen and adopted.
She saw the need so she decided to do all she could to help. She followed her passion for saving unloved dogs and started a company called Tracy’s Paws.
Tracy along with her husband, Scott have adopted out over 3,700 dogs! You can learn all about Tracy’s dogs by watching this video. (warning! you will cry … with happiness.)
