rss
mobile
Feeds
The Beaufort County Animal Shelter kills 4,000 animals a year, representing 70 percent of the animals brought into the "shelter." The numbers are staggering and, most importantly, unnecessary.
Anyone who has euthanized a beloved pet has experienced the agony of its loss, the sadness of the life extinguished. An inherent right to life is abolished in a shelter that kills. If a personal perspective denies that animals have a right to life, then the economics of a killing shelter are worth noting.
Nathan Winograd's book, "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No-Kill Revolution in America," stated in 2007 that killing can cost more than $100 per animal, while adopting the animal allows a shelter to gain not only adoption fees, but also future donation opportunities from those individuals.
It also is less expensive to spay an animal than it is to take in, hold and kill the offspring of that animal.
A shelter that follows life-saving programs and services has a huge potential for fundraising and financial success. This has been proven in no-kill shelters throughout the nation. The direction of Beaufort County's animal shelter needs to change, and can.
Well-outlined steps work. An aggressive, high-volume, low-cost spay and neuter program is essential. A trap, neuter or spay and release program is crucial.
Paula Loftis
Beaufort
