Three-Quarter of Shelter Animals Are Euthanized – Understanding the Causes and Solutions

It’s an amazing statistic, but a common one at many shelters these days. This morning I read an article Las Cruces Sun News today about Animal Shelter Euthanasia Rates Remains High. They mention some alarming statistics including the one stated in the title of this article: “Three out of four of the roughly 1,500 animals taken in per month are killed.” That means that approximately 1,050 out of 1,500 animals are killed each month…that’s SHOCKING!!!

Animal Shelter Euthanasia Rates Remains High

I won’t pretend to know all the details going on at the Animal Services Center of th Mesilla Valley, but if 6 months ago the shelter director announced a goal of becoming a no-kill animal shelter then 70 percent euthanasia rate makes me believe that at this point the shelter is failing miserably.

The article does mention several possible issues and obstacles keeping the animal shelter from improving their numbers and moving towards the goal of a no-kill policy including:

• Lack of a full-time veterinarian
• The current directors outdated approach to tackling the euthanasia and pet overpopulation problems
• A “throw-away” mentality prevalent among county residents that places little value on pets’ lives and well-being.
• The shelter’s unfriendly atmosphere toward the public

The article brings to light some of the issues going on with one of Las Cruces’s local animal shelters and hopefully at some point in time the Animal Services Center of The Mesilla Valley does achieve its goal of becoming a no-kill shelter. However, at this point it does appear that they might be moving in the wrong direction.

Are You Ready For Pet Adoption?

If you’re interested in pet adoption do not take it lightly. As mentioned in one of the points earlier do not have the “throw away” mentality. You pets life is valuable and requires a long-term commitment.

One of the most important points I’d like to make when adopting a dog is to focus on their training. Your friends and family will enjoy your dog if he understands basic obedience. You and your dog will feel more comfortable on any outings whether it be to the dog park or to a friends home (you will be welcome to more peoples homes if your dog is well-behaved). Also, training your dog is a great bonding experience for you and your dog.

I did a little research in hopes of finding a database of animals from the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, but was only able to come up with a link to the City of Las Cruces website with information contact information and hours of service. After a little further research I found their adoptable pet list on the Petfinder.com website. Here’s a link directly to their adoptable list: Animal Service Center of The Mesilla Valley.

The two pictures I included in this article are from the Las Cruces Sun News website. There are several other pictures at the following link: Animal Adoption Pictures.

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Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.