'No-kill' shelters scrutinized by humane society, PETA
Post-Tribune (IN)
December 22, 2005
Animal shelters proclaiming themselves "no-kill" facilities are the new fad in American society, but not at the Hobart Humane Society.
"They are not 'no kill' shelters," said Carol Konopacki, president of the society. "They are 'somebody-else-kill' shelters."
The fall issue of the Hobart Humane Society's newsletter devoted a page to the topic, along with an inserted letter from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also scornful of "no-kill" shelters.
Konopacki said three major area animal shelters have taken a "no-kill" stance and have been praised by many who think it is a humane position.
"All it means," she said, "is that they turn animals away, leaving them in the hands of people who do not want them. They are going to be turned loose or killed by someone else."
She also made the point that animals kept for long periods of time tend to become unadoptable.
Konopacki said the "no-kill" shelters deny that they turn animals away, "but they are not able to keep all the stray animals brought to them for long periods of time.
"We do not want to have to put any animal to sleep," she said, "but sometimes, it is the only humane thing to do."
Konopacki said the Hobart shelter normally has 75 to 80 animals on hand and has about 200 adoptions a month. She had no figures on how many were put to death.
