Several organizers are arranging a gathering Friday in response to Smith County killing the animals.
TYLER, Texas — A community is in uproar after the Smith County Animal Shelter sent in a statement Monday announcing ten animals involved in the Jones’s dog fighting ring were euthanized due to lack of space.
“I became outraged and heartbroken. Our community received misinformation,” animal advocate Karen Hale said. “They didn’t deserve that. Those dogs deserved a fighting chance.”
Hale and other organizers are arranging a gathering Friday in response to Smith County killing the animals.
“Meet me here tomorrow, let our voices be heard for those dogs that lost their life,” Hale said.
CBS19 reached out to the Smith County Animal Shelter to receive additional information about their efforts in relocating these dogs, and what led to their decision. The shelter responded with multiple statements.
“After several efforts to get adopters and rescues were unsuccessful, it was the last option we had. We had several dogs that were here for six months with absolutely no interest at all,” one statement read.
Dr. Gary Spence took in six of the dogs in critical condition in September. Those dogs passed evaluations, and were safe and ready for adoptions.
“The dogs that they had left down there were all the innocent bait dogs. There was not a thing wrong with any of them,” Hale said. “Well, they do have a voice, and it’s us, but few people listen, you know? And there were a lot of promises made when all this started, and there were none, none of the promises were kept.”
Dr. Spence and Hale both are advocating for the city to be more transparent going forward, hoping for change and fighting for the animals.
“More people should be outraged of what occurred here on Monday, and if it’s my voice standing out here tomorrow, a lone voice, then so be it. But this is absurd, and this is inhumane,” Hale said.
The most recent, entire statement from Amber Greene of the Smith County Animal Control and Shelter reads:
“We are sometimes asked the question, “Do you euthanize animals for space?” It is a complex question to answer, but because it is an important issue for many people, we want to provide a transparent explanation of our shelter’s situation and our decision-making process regarding euthanasia.
Our shelter does its best each year to attempt to treat every medically treatable animal, although we take into account the likelihood of treatment success, the animal’s age, behavior, quality of life, and whether the amount required to treat is a reasonable and responsible use of funds for one animal. Unfortunately, there are many animals who come to us with extremely severe injuries or illness, and if the suffering is irremediable, euthanasia is usually the most humane outcome.
In terms of behavior issues, our shelter’s number one priority is public safety. If there is a dog that we believe may pose a threat to the safety of an adult or child, we generally will not place that dog up for adoption, although depending on the behavior the dog may still be a candidate for rescue if a rescue organization can commit to finding the dog a very particular home where the behavior can be safely managed. If this isn’t an option, however, then euthanasia is usually the outcome.
The majority of our shelter’s euthanasia fits into the above categories – an irremediably suffering animal, a newborn animal who fails to thrive, or a dog with a safety risk. These are the decisions shelters are faced with every day. Our shelter believes every dog is an individual and we take many factors into account when attempting to balance public safety with lifesaving.
However, there is another factor that influences euthanasia decisions – space and resources. Even fractious dogs could be placed in a sanctuary with a very secure enclosure, one where we could practically guarantee the dog would not pose a threat. So technically, any dog is “savable,” but finding the homes to do so can be extraordinarily difficult.
In line with national trends, our shelter is seeing increased intake, along with decreased adoptions. Industry experts believe both of these trends are the result of economic conditions. Rental restrictions don’t help either – many of the breeds that frequent shelters also are banned from rental housing and insurance policies.
When more animals enter shelters than leave, shelters get very crowded, very quickly – especially shelters like ours that were built decades ago when the human population of our county was much smaller.
There are several strategies that we use to combat this difference between intake and outcomes, each with their own limitations:
Rescue: Rescue organizations often pull animals from shelters and adopt them through their networks. Unfortunately, most rescues are also very full for the same reasons shelters are, and it is increasingly rare for shelters to have any openings to take animals from other organizations.
Adoption: Our shelter offers waived adoption fees when we get full. Historically this has been used when the above options fail and is usually enough to help us avoid euthanasia for space. They’re becoming less effective for a variety of reasons, including reduced interest in adopting due to the economy and other factors mentioned above.
When all else fails, euthanasia for space may be considered. There is a point where continuing to cram more dogs in kennels becomes unsafe and inhumane. As an organization that exists to protect animal welfare and prevent suffering, we cannot create a hoarding situation within our own walls. When deciding which dogs should be euthanized to create capacity, we will generally select dogs that have a behavior concern that falls into the gray area of safety mentioned above. We may then select dogs that have severe anxiety in kennels and are unlikely to get adopted anytime soon due to their breed or age. Our shelter is usually filled to the brim with huskies, shepherds, pit bulls, and their mixes, leaving these types of dogs most challenging to place due in part to the sheer number of them, as well as rental housing restrictions targeting these breeds.
It is rare that we need to euthanize an animal with no behavior or medical issues, but we are concerned this may become more common if intake and adoption trends continue the way they are. Despite the challenges, our shelter is doing our very best to adapt, innovate, and provide the best outcomes possible, for as many animals as possible. Our community can rest assured that our shelter is full of staff who care deeply for animals and are working tirelessly to avoid negative outcomes.
That being said, the community is also a necessary part of the solution. Here’s how to help:
– Adopt your next pet. “Designer dogs” from breeders are cute, but dogs in shelters can provide the same joy and companionship and are in great need.
– If you find a lost dog, they very likely have an owner. If you can hold onto them for at least 48 hours while actively looking for the owner before bringing them to the shelter, it can make a huge difference. Many dogs are reunited without having to impact our kennel space.
– If your pet gets lost, look for them proactively. Get your pets microchipped and put tags on them, so we can quickly return them to you if they go missing.
– Volunteer. From helping staff with shelter chores, walking dogs, adoption counseling and so much more, volunteers make a huge difference.
– Foster. Taking animals into your home can create space, help young animals grow up, help animals through behavior issues, and allow sick or injured animals to heal.
– Donate. There are many programs that rely on donor dollars to function, especially our local rescue organizations.
When people publicly criticize or “bash” an animal shelter, it can have a significantly negative impact on shelter employees, leading to feelings of demoralization, burnout, compassion fatigue, decreased job satisfaction, and even personal attacks, making it harder for them to effectively do their job and care for animals in their charge; essentially undermining their dedication to helping animals in need.”
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