When Putnam County Commissioner Joe Haynes voted to move forward with the new Putnam County Animal Shelter, he made a point of saying that when he took office he became aware of the terrible condition of the current Putnam Animal Relief Center.The current shelter is nearly 30 years old, overcrowded and in disrepair. During Haynes' February 14th, 2012 comments, he made the point that replacing the shelter is his priority.
Halburn blames the numbers of euthaniasias on Commissioner Haynes. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
None of this is Joe Haynes' fault.
Halburn filed yet another in a long string of Freedom of Information Act requests to find out how many animals were put to death at the PARC during Haynes' seven years as commissioner.
We didn't have to file a FOIA to get the same numbers. According to a phone call we made, in 2009, 1743 animals were euthanized. In 2010 - 1866. In 2011 - 2087.
What do these numbers mean? They mean more animals were taken in. The percentage of animals put to sleep stayed virtually the same.
Halburn says the numbers are troubling, and they are. But what he doesn't tell you is that the exact thing happens at virtually every shelter in the country. Far more animals are euthanized than adopted.
It is a shelter's goal to find homes for 100% of adoptable animals, but unfortunately there are many animals that come through the doors that may be unadoptable for a variety of reasons.
Many animals that are received are injured, have serious disease or other major health issues, or are aggressive. In many cases, the most humane solution for these animals is to euthanize them. These are policies shared by the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Humane Association, among others. Sometimes, in extreme overcrowding situations, animals are euthanized due to space.
The employees of the shelter are not bloodthirsty ghouls. They have a hard job. They don't want to put these animals down, but there is no other choice.
The new Putnam County Animal Shelter will be able to hold about twice as many animals as the PARC, which means that the numbers of euthanizations will probably go up even more. Sad, but true.
Kanawha County puts 200-300 animals to sleep every month.
The new shelter, near Eleanor, will be completed in 2013, giving Putnam County a first class facility in which to care for animals.
The only animal that needs to be put to sleep in this case is Mark Halburn.
Related article:
New Animal Shelter: Halburn Gets Nothing!
Halburn filed yet another in a long string of Freedom of Information Act requests to find out how many animals were put to death at the PARC during Haynes' seven years as commissioner.
We didn't have to file a FOIA to get the same numbers. According to a phone call we made, in 2009, 1743 animals were euthanized. In 2010 - 1866. In 2011 - 2087.
What do these numbers mean? They mean more animals were taken in. The percentage of animals put to sleep stayed virtually the same.
Halburn says the numbers are troubling, and they are. But what he doesn't tell you is that the exact thing happens at virtually every shelter in the country. Far more animals are euthanized than adopted.
It is a shelter's goal to find homes for 100% of adoptable animals, but unfortunately there are many animals that come through the doors that may be unadoptable for a variety of reasons.
Many animals that are received are injured, have serious disease or other major health issues, or are aggressive. In many cases, the most humane solution for these animals is to euthanize them. These are policies shared by the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Humane Association, among others. Sometimes, in extreme overcrowding situations, animals are euthanized due to space.
The employees of the shelter are not bloodthirsty ghouls. They have a hard job. They don't want to put these animals down, but there is no other choice.
The new Putnam County Animal Shelter will be able to hold about twice as many animals as the PARC, which means that the numbers of euthanizations will probably go up even more. Sad, but true.
Kanawha County puts 200-300 animals to sleep every month.
The new shelter, near Eleanor, will be completed in 2013, giving Putnam County a first class facility in which to care for animals.
The only animal that needs to be put to sleep in this case is Mark Halburn.
Related article:
New Animal Shelter: Halburn Gets Nothing!
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