[Dailydrool] Humane Society Kill Rates.

[Val lbrewerzwick via Dailydrool]

A couple of droolers suggested contacting our local humane society about our cat/kitten situation. I think the feral behind our house are fed by neighbors on the street below us, which makes them a "maintained" colony, but the neighbors should be spaying and neutering  the cats.  There is an organization (Advocats) which sponsors feral cat maintenance.  Our Humane society  has a policy of euthanizing all feral cats.  Which got me to wondering about humane societies on the mainland.  When contacted here, what our HS does is tell callers to capture the stray animal (dog or cat) and bring it to the HS. The humane society will lend a trap if needed for the citizen to capture the animal. (they do not collect strays themselves).  Any feral cats are euthanized immediately upon arrival.  Domestic dogs and cats which might be lost pets are "assessed" as to whether or not they might be adoptable.  Most are categorized not adoptable and euthanized after a couple of days.   Those animals deemed adoptable are given a few weeks before euthanization.  Our humane society is cagey about releasing its "kill" rate, but recently said publicly in an interview with the local newspaper that about 55% of dogs and 65% of cats brought in are euthanized.  An independent source analyzing HS data, however, placed the euthanasia rate for dogs at 75% and cats at 85%. I am told that our island has one of the highest kill rates for animal shelters in the country.  I am curious how other shelters work. I am listed as a person to call if any bassets come in, but they almost never do. (In ten years, I've only encountered three dog pound bassets).  Most dogs here are hunting mixes of pitbull with catahoula (as is our Ipo, who was once a dog pound dog before her last owners).  Val of Hawaii vlbzwick at yahoo.com

Val