I'm about to get very unpopular.

Rescuers, advocates, pet owners, and other 'trainers' might get bent at my particular point of view, but here goes.

I find it appalling when someone sends me a "SAVE HIM NOW" or a "RESCUE ME" from a dog who has spent years in a shelter......How sad for the dog.  What kind of non-life is that really?  I mean, I get the whole no-kill concept, but that's disgusting in my opinion.

That isn't fair to the dog.

There are worse things than euthanasia, and I believe living their lives in a small, noisy, scary box is one of them.  "OH, but there's someone out there who will see the dogs' picture circulating around facebook, and will want them, and save them...."  Maybe.  But what about the other dogs who aren't being circulated?  What about the thousands of animals waiting patiently for their Human to return, and they never do?  

Or the no-kill Humans who won't euthanize the truly Human aggressive dog?

The one who has already attacked with intent to kill....  I'm not talking about the dog who can be rehabilitated by the people he's living with, providing they are working with a qualified professional; no, I am speaking of the dog who genuinely would kill somebody if given the chance.  Do both the dog, and the civil community around him a favor, and put him down.  There's a strong and clear difference between a dog who has bitten people, and one that actually would like you dead.

But here's where we run into controversy with the Self.  This guy (pictured) was in a city pound for 7 months.  He was dog aggressive; like see them at the end of the block and freak out kind of hatred.  He did not like children.  He was 2.5 years old (at the time) and wasn't housebroken.  He was a black dog, in a row of black dogs.  The shelter had a 13 day hold on most animals...Someone saw something special in him.  The volunteers began changing his name, altering his intake date, and shuffling his paperwork so he wouldn't be euthanized.  The day we adopted him, the shelter worker actually thought he was a different dog entirely. He was practically anonymous.  And now, almost 4 years later, he is livin' it up with me.

He got lucky.  He was adopted into a home with a qualified handler, who helped him get past his aggressive issues, taught him that kids are actually food dispensers, and fed him a whole hot dog as he was urinating one day to FINALLY get it through about where pee is supposed to happen.  

So where exactly is the line of time?

Nobody knows.  And I am actually not qualified to make that determination.  I don't think any of us are.  And as I think any kind of behavioral modification must be suited to that particular animal, and its family situation, I also feel that knowing when to "pull the plug" depends on the dog.  Some handle the environment of a shelter more easily than others.  Some go crazy.  Some shut down.  And some, well, we'd be doing their souls a favor not to make them suffer in there.

And what about my other shelter save?  

He was labeled "unadoptable due to fear aggression"  "incapable of rehabilitation."  He was terrified.  They slated him for death after only six weeks.  He'd failed with two potential fosters.  

As an outside observer, I would have agreed.  He was frozen.  Incapacitated because of his fears; defending himself at first, but then, he shut down and just stopped.  He wasn't eating.  He wasn't drinking.  He was immobile in the corner of the kennel, urinating and defecating where he lay.  He was done.  As a kind thing, he should have been put down.

He got lucky too.  I was not an outside observer.  I knew his history, and what made him that way.  So I talked him out of getting the needle, paid $200 for him and now....Well, he's still a mess, but he's better.  And getting more bold every day.  He will most likely never be whole. 

I argue with myself over this issue all the time.  And the only solution I can see, is that there isn't one....We keep breeding them.

There is no shortage of dogs and cats in our country.  We have skewed ideas about spaying and neutering.  We create Designer Dogs (Mr. Scared-dog, my big guy, is one such dog) to suit the latest trends with no regard for the lives wasted in the process.  What happens to all the "not-so-designer" puppies?  The ones that don't look the way you wanted.....Most likely, they are culled from the herd.  Dead.

We don't neuter because we're worried our dogs won't Pee Like a Man, or that he'll act like a bitch.  

We don't spay because we believe it'll make her calmer to have a litter.  Plus, the kids will get to play with her puppies.....

We need to realize that we can't save them all, and that's ok.  For now.  Until we change as a whole, as a community, as a species, we have to realize the humane need for euthanasia.  That dog who's been sitting in the shelter for three years?  Do her a favor.

That dog, who rushes his fence in the shelter because he's scared to death of everything, and you don't have enough employees or volunteers to walk him around during visiting hours (y'know, show people he's not truly aggressive at all), do him a favor.

That one, the pregnant one....She's potentially 14 more dogs.  Cute ones.  Yes, you'll find them homes, probably, but that's 14 more already adult dogs who won't because she dropped a bunch of cuteness on the floor.  Cuteness that most likely will be turned out, lost, abused or neglected before they come back to you in 9-14 months because they're "CRAZY."  Two or three of them might make it their whole lives with the same family....and be loved like mad for their whole lives.....Do those other 14 dogs a favor.....

I know, I'm a jerk.  But I see the need for kill shelters.  WE have created that need.  

I see those stickers for No-kill Nation, and I wish.  I truly do.  But being realistic about it.....Probably never going to happen.  This makes me nauseous.  Literally sick to my stomach to think about all the beautiful, wonderful, loving souls (dogs, cats, small animals, livestock, etc) that won't live their lives because we made it that way.

We suck.