Shelter celebrates going over a year without having to euthanize any animals for space
In a perfect world, all animals would have a loving home and none of them would have to be euthanized. One animal shelter in Georgia is trying to do its part in making it a reality. The Columbus Animal Care and Control Center in Columbus, Georgia has gone a year without having to euthanize any animals to make space.
Bucking the trend in the percentage of euthanized animals
What makes this feat more remarkable is the fact that in many instances, over 50 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats that enter many animal shelters end up euthanized, according to the American Humane Society. Even in a no-kill shelter, terminally ill animals or those deemed a danger to the public are euthanized, which leads some of these shelters to refuse to accept such animals.
The city’s Adopt A Pet Program started the trend 10 years ago
When asked about the accomplishment, Interim Division Manager Contreana Pearson says that the shelter saw a reduction in the number of euthanized animals over 10 years ago when former Mayor Teresa Tomlin implemented the city’s Save A Pet Program. And even though the number of animals euthanized declined during that time, this was the first year that the number dropped to zero.
“I’ve worked with the city for 30 years. This has actually never happened before. Back in [January the 9th of] 2019 is when we put the last animal to sleep for space. And we have not put an animal to sleep since then. This was a community effort. A community effort involving citizens, volunteers, rescue organizations they have all backed us,” Pearson told WRBL.
2019 saw a sharp drop from the number of animals euthanized in 2018
In comparison, 2018 had over 800 animals euthanized. In celebration of this amazing accomplishment, the public was invited to attend a celebration at the Animal Care and Control Center. Leading up to the celebration, there were still five dogs remaining at the shelter that were in danger of being euthanized to make space.
Some of the dogs at the shelter even got in on the act by donning party hats.
Shelter staff put out a call to the public encouraging owners to come forward and claim their pet, or to adopt during the planned Saturday event. By the Thursday before the planned celebration, those five dogs had been adopted, bringing the number of animals at the shelter in danger of being euthanized to zero.
There are still some animals waiting to be adopted, but they have not yet reached the threshold to be euthanized.
How you can help reduce the number of euthanized animals at your local shelter
The biggest thing you can do to help prevent animals being euthanized at shelters is to adopt one of the animals there. If you are unable to adopt an animal, you can donate to the shelter or volunteer to help out. By working together, shelters and the communities that they serve can reduce the number of animals euthanized.
For more on how you can donate or adopt an animal from the Columbus Animal Care & Control Center, visit their Facebook page. Here is a video that talks more about the realities of no-kill shelters and what such shelters are doing to try and maintain the concept of a euthanasia-free environment.
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