Park County Animal Shelter is a no-kill shelter. A no-kill shelter does not euthanize animals that can be adopted. Instead euthanasia is used only for animals that are terminally ill or dangerous. This is in contrast to many municipal animal “pounds” where euthanasia is used on a large percentage of the animal population on a regular basis as a routine means of population control.
As a no-kill shelter, we are trying to end the killing of cats and dogs by facilitating the adoption of shelter dogs and cats; by reducing the number of animals born which would otherwise end up in shelters; and by sponsoring a low-cost/free spay/neuter clinic.
Because we are a no-kill shelter, nearly all animals we receive are not euthanized. We provide care for animals that are “adoptable” and “treatable” until their permanent homes are found. The rare animal that is “unadoptable” or that can’t be rehabilitated may be euthanized by local veterinarians.
Our definition of the terms: adoptable, unadoptable, and what is treatable follow:
Adoptable animals include only those animals eight weeks of age or older that, at or subsequent to the time the animal is impounded or otherwise taken into possession, have manifested no sign of a behavioral or temperamental defect that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and have manifested no sign of disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal, or that is likely to adversely affect the animal’s health in the future. Adoptable dogs and cats may be old, deaf, blind, disfigured or disabled.
Treatable animals shall include any animal that is not adoptable but that could become adoptable with reasonable efforts. Sick, traumatized, infant or unsocialized dogs and cats need appropriate medical treatment, behavior modification and/or foster care to turn them into healthy animals ready for placement.
Unadoptable or non-rehabilitatable means an animal that is neither adoptable nor treatable because:
- The animal has manifested signs of an untreataable behavioral or tempermental defect;
- The animal could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet; and
- The animal has manifested signs of disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that severely affects the health of the animal or that is likely to severely affect the animal’s health in the future.
It is difficult to be definitive when adopting criteria for euthanasia. Ultimately, the Shelter relies on the discretion of the Shelter Manager to make this decision based on the application of the criteria. The Board has vested this authority in the Shelter Manager. The Manager may, but is not required to, consult the Board about pending euthanasia cases. The Manager is required to inform the Board any time euthanasia will be used.
Adopted by the Park County Animal Shelter Board, October 11, 2012.
Amended by the Park County Animal Shelter Board, April 25, 2013.
