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What Does No Kill Mean - A response to Dr. Leonard's letter to the editor



This was a letter we submitted to the News and Advance in response to a letter to the editor in July but it was not published.  The letter that I am referring to is posted at the bottom of this blog. 

When the Lynchburg Humane Society decided to start down the path to become a “No Kill
Community,” we actually did not immediately use that term.  At that time we were euthanizing over 51% of the animals in our care and decided that a change was necessary. Our original long range plan (2009) and our overall vision is that: By 2015 all saveable pets sheltered by the Lynchburg Humane Society are given the medical and behavioral treatment they need to be placed in caring homes. We knew we were striving for a 90% live release rate (the percentage of animals that leave a shelter alive) or higher.   Why then do we use the term “No Kill”?  It is a term known by the public, generally accepted, and one that people understand.  In the No Kill movement the thinking is that taking the life of a healthy animal, or one that with appropriate resources could be treated, is considered killing - NOT euthanasia. When we are asked “are you No Kill?” we say “yes, but that doesn’t mean we don’t euthanize.” Circumstances dictate that there will always be times when we have to euthanize.  As the public shelter for the city we take in all court cases, neglect cases, and dangerous dog cases; in addition to strays and owner surrenders.  This means that we take in some pretty aggressive and sick animals.  It is our responsibility to not adopt out animals that are a public safety risk.  But keeping them caged up for the rest of their lives is not responsible either; therefore, euthanasia is our course of action in those cases.  Last year, 2013, we euthanized a total of 59 dogs and 61 cats.  Those are animals that we made the decision to take their life due to medical or behavioral reasons.  Those do not include those animals that died at the shelter or at the veterinary office. 

I think Dr. Leonard asked some good questions but she is wrong to suggest there is any “spinning” of our message going on.  We are legally required to report our yearly statistics to the state vet and this information is then reported on their website.  Because we want people to be informed about our shelter operations and those of other animal shelters in the area, we also post our stats on our website monthly and annually.  We have often suggested to people that they should view this information in order to be informed.  This year I wrote a blog about our “died in care numbers” and even wrote an article about it in our newsletter.  We want to be, and believe that we are, transparent in our operational issues and our statistics. 

Dr. Leonard states that the main reason pets are surrendered to shelters is for behavioral issues.  That is just not true.  The number one reason for animals ending up at our shelter is lifestyle changes, such as moving, change in job, landlord issues or family situations.  Behavioral issues are the least likely reason for surrender.   


 Finally, I will say that this community has been tremendously supportive during our last 5 years.  We have made great progress in animal welfare issues including aggressive spay/neuter programs that have reduced our cat intake by 31% and the fund raising campaign for our new building that is currently under construction.  But what happens when we fill up with adoptable pets?  We adopt them out with specials and promotions and we then fill right back up with more animals in need.  Over 560 animals have found homes since June 1st during our “Summer of 1,000 Lives” campaign. We have been able to help 285 animals this year from other local shelters stay alive and not be euthanized due to space issues.



Together, we are all making a difference in the lives of pets in Lynchburg and we are so thankful for your support.  


If anyone has questions about our operations or statistics please feel free to contact me directly. 

-Makena Yarbrough
Executive Director


 Dr. Leonard's letter

A definition of terms
I would like to submit a point of clarification about no-kill shelters. This terminology sounds great on the surface, but it in no way means that “no one is killed, ever.” What it usually means is that if the animal is adoptable, it will be allowed to live long enough to find a home outside of the shelter. Adoptable animals usually are healthy and have no behavior or temperament abnormalities. But, the main reason people surrender their pets to shelters is due to behavioral problems of the animals. Also, free-roaming “stray” dogs or cats that must be trapped and are not approachable are generally not considered as adoptable, even when they are healthy.
What happens when the shelter is full of adoptable animals? Does a new shelter get built to accommodate the increased population? If spay-neuter programs are really as successful as some claim, why is it that many hundreds of animals in Virginia continue to end up in shelters?
According to the Lynchburg Humane Society, only 27 total cats and dogs were euthanized during January-April of this year. It would be informative to have further explanation of how this number is derived. Are sick animals admitted to the shelter and then euthanized counted in this total? What about animals who die in the shelter — how is this accounted for with the statistics? If an animal with a behavioral problem is surrendered to the shelter, how is it determined if that animal is adopted out, or is euthanized? Could an animal such as this have been one of those 27?
I ask these questions out of curiosity. My main point is for people to be aware that, like with many other sensitive topics, the definition of terms and the compilation of data can be interpreted with the “spin” intended by the presenter. Dig a little deeper and stay informed.
LORI D. LEONARD
Concord
Editor’s note: Leonard is a practicing veterinarian with a practice in Concord.

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