No Kill Status
GCHS has operated as a no-kill shelter
since 1999. GCHS rejects euthanasia as a means of
population control or animal breed control, and only un-savable animals will ever be considered
for euthanasia. No kill status can only be achieved when at least 90% of all the animals
impounded (regardless of reason) are saved.
Un-savable
: "Un-savable" shall include:
(1) animals who are severely sick or injured and whose prognosis for rehabilitation is poor
or grave and (2) vicious or dangerous dogs.
Irremediably Suffering:
Un-savable animals include
irremediably suffering animals. "Irremediably Suffering" shall include any animal with a
medical condition who has a poor or grave prognosis for being able to live without severe,
unremitting pain.
Vicious Dog: "Vicious dog" is a dog that has a
propensity to, or history of, causing grievous bodily harm to people even
when the dog is not hungry, in pain, or frightened, and whose prognosis for rehabilitation
of the aggression is poor or grave.
Dangerous Dog: "Dangerous Dog" is a dog adjudicated to
be vicious by a court of competent jurisdiction and where all appeals of that judicial
determination have been unsuccessful.
Common Conditions:
A list of common
conditions seen in shelter animals categorized appropriately:
· Savable - Healthy:
Age (senior/geriatric
animals), behavior issues typical with dogs and
cats such as house soiling, social shyness, barking, escaping, blindness, fleas, ear
mites, missing limb, pregnancy.
· Savable - Treatable:
Allergies (including
dermatitis), broken bones, dental conditions, FeLK, FIV, asymptomatic heartworm positive,
hyperthyroid, lacerations, mange, demodectic or sarcoptic, motherless neonates, ocular
conditions such as "cherry eye", otitis, respiratory infection such as kennel cough or
URI, ringworm, separation anxiety, conditions resolved via surgery, food guarding, UTI’s,
stomatitis, diabetes, abscesses, canine parvovirus and feline distemper (adult
animals).
· Un-Savable: Canine parvovirus and feline distemper
(puppies and kittens), vicious dogs, cancer with poor prognosis, symptomatic FeLK, end stage
renal failure.
· Feral Cats: May be savable or un-savable depending upon
their medical condition only. For example, a feral cat with no known medical condition is
considered "feral/healthy”. A
feral cat with a respiratory infection is considered "feral/treatable". Both categories are savable.
GCHS EUTHANASIA
POLICY
Animals will not be euthanized due
to lack of space, breed, injury or illness. Every attempt will be made to care for all
animals at the shelter. There may be occasions due to extreme injury, illness, suffering
and/or pain when the shelter veterinarian recommends euthanizing an animal. In the event
that euthanasia is recommended, the Executive Director will notify the Chair of the
Euthanasia Committee and provide information to be shared with the committee. The Chair of
the Euthanasia Committee will contact committee members immediately, call for a simple
majority vote, and immediately notify the Executive Director of their
decision. Euthanasia will
take place within 24-48 hours or sooner (depending on the time/day of availability of the
veterinarian). In the event the committee overturns the veterinarian’s decision, the
Board President will be notified by the Executive Director of the committee’s decision.
The Board President has the authority to take the committee decision to the full board
for further discussion and vote.
Occasions when euthanasia may be necessary
include:
· When picking up an injured animal, per the Police Department and /or
Sheriff’s Office, and the animal is gravely injured, and/or non-responsive. In this situation,
the Euthanasia Committee does not have to be contacted since the authority for euthanizing an
animal is coming from the law enforcement agency, however, the Board President will be notified
by the Executive Director of the situation.
· When an animal is in the final stages of death and/or bodily functions
(kidney, liver, etc.) are
failing and the animal
is showing signs of pain and suffering.
· When an animal is in such pain due to illness/injury and pain
and medications are not giving any relief causing the animal to
endure prolonged suffering.
