Dead Cat Walking

Many Americans are oblivious to the death sentences of innocent lives halfheartedly juried and delivered on a daily basis. In fact, the subject is finally rising into a full out, passionate debate for many people who have gained the awareness of such truth. Thus far, the debate is not enough. Statistically speaking, via shelters alone 3-4 million cats and dogs are euthanized every year! These numbers are just an educated guesstimate offered by the Humane Society because it is not legally necessary to control and track such data of the deaths of our furry friends.

So then, now that we know, what do we do about it? Considering it is human nature to sweep under the rug, these cruel killings appear bound to continue for quite some time until the entire nation agrees on a humane practicality that legislates a resolve for such a gruesome dishonor to helpless animals wholesomely trusting us to no end. In the meantime, there are already a few sides to this division. There is no doubt that shelters are being bombarded with abused, abandoned, feral, ill or aging cats, and it has gotten to the point that even owners are simply tossing their pets aside and reversing all sense of responsibility towards their housecats, once revered as precious pets. Inevitably, shelters across the country are understaffed, underfunded, and struggling to care for the overwhelming masses of cats desperately needing to be adopted. Perhaps it is this stress that has fractured the universality of shelters into two major contrary agendas: kill or no kill.

No kill shelters, also known as limited admission shelters carefully select the animals they take in to ensure all animals will be found a home. No kill shelters pride themselves in advocating for the lives of those they do select, but rarely recollect those they find unlikely to adopt out. This of course shuns many needy cats to the streets, back to abusive or neglectful owners, or ultimately to their death. Kill shelters, which are considered open admission shelters, are basically left accepting whatever the cat brings in. Open admission shelters argue that they are doing the public a service by refusing to deny the help humans seek when bringing a distressed or unwanted animal to their door. However, considering the backdoor is a gas chamber, or other form of euthanasia, the odds are quite largely in favor of the grim death of poor Angel.

The adversity of these two types of shelters has actually grown into begrudging the opinion of each other, and has gotten to such severe levels that they often refuse to work together as a whole, putting in joint efforts to find their cats homes. For example, the kill shelters have spat negativity towards no kill shelters for picking and choosing which cats they will save, while the no kill shelters in turn feel spurned and complain that the kill shelters wont work with them. The divisiveness has collided into a quarrel.

There is also mixed controversy amongst potential cat adopters, torn between who they should go to for their adoption. As often as we humans love to pretend we are unbiased, it is all too likely that our tenancies will eventually lean to one side or the next. Until finding that position, it leaves choice bouncing around like a racquet ball, uncertainly debating which type of moral to support. Consequently, there are numerous arguments to support both sides: euthanasia keeps the strays off the street, every animal has an equal right to life, killing is a copout method that allows owners to easily pass on responsibility and abandon their pets, no kill is in the better interest to animal welfare (for those they choose)the opinions continue to battle.

This is where concern for animal welfare, whether under the roof of a no kill or open admission shelter has deflected away from cats and inadvertently into the egos of people. While the truth remains that too many ferals are being yanked out of the wild and trapped in wire cages at shelters, often then led to their death, and while too many abandoned housecats are demoted from pet to prisoner praying for an adopting family to find them; the truth also remains that these cats are being placed against their will into a position where they have no choice but to trust that we will administer food, shelter, and even care for each and every one of them.

With all consideration, before trying to conclude between which shelter to visit based merely on concept, search your heart. Perhaps it will show you the warmth and loyalty radiating from a cat saved moments before his dooming death. Let his last meal come naturally, not planned.