Good Intentions Jam California Animal Shelters

When will John Q. Public realize that, for a public agency in a large city, the “no kill” animal shelter is a myth? Los Angeles city shelters are mandated to take in any and all stray animals, in addition to accepting the owned animals that are brought in.

They can never close their doors. They do not have the luxury of saying, “Sorry, we are full and have no more room.”

Former Sen. Tom Hayden’s bill, which mandated much longer holding periods for all pets starting July 1, 1999, was passed into law in a furor of humane revelry. It has done nothing to stem the never-ending flow of puppies, kittens, dogs and cats that have been parading through the front doors of our public and private shelters throughout the state.

Sure, these animals are kept longer under the legislation, but the result is not a more humane, no-kill shelter system. We now see a plethora of diseased animals put in with healthy ones that might be able to be adopted.

On July 1, a second provision of the Hayden law will become effective, requiring shelters to hold owner-relinquished animals for the same extended period as strays. The result can only be more severe overcrowding.

I wonder just how much time Hayden spent in a public shelter, witnessing what the passage of his well-intended bill has wrought? Did he see the overcrowded conditions, dog fights, disease, the shy and submissive dogs waiting forlornly for their turn at the food bowl?

I cannot believe that Hayden and his aides spent enough time in a public shelter to get the true picture of what goes on. When you see, day in and day out, a never-ending stream of animals entering the front door, something has to give.

I know plenty of shelter workers who have pets at home that they have adopted from the shelters in which they work. Despite the heroic efforts of staff members, volunteers and many wonderful animal groups devoted to rescue and adoption, euthanasia is often the sad but necessary response to a society that does not care for its pets before they take that sometimes final walk through the shelter door.

Let’s put the blame squarely where it belongs: on the politicians concerned primarily with their own agendas and on a public ready to promote ill-conceived Band-Aid tactics and willing to continue breeding pets when there are no permanent homes available.