“No-kill” animal shelters in cities like Irvine and Mission Viejo get that distinction by rejecting animals that may be harder to adopt, and steering them to the “high-kill” Orange County Animal Shelter, a recent grand jury report said.
Which not only dumps the grim responsibility for euthanizing these creatures on the county; it dumps the cost of boarding and killing them on the county as well. (The county shelter gets the skull and crossbones; the no-kill shelters, bouquets.)
The Orange County Grand Jury blew the whistle on this awkward little practice in its report, “Is Orange County Going to the Dogs?” It also urged the no-kill shelters to:
- accept all beasties within their city limits/service areas (whether they’re easily adoptable or not);
- or reimburse the county for the cost of boarding and euthanizing those animals (about $159 per animal).
SURPRISE!
No-kill cities are saying, “no way.”
Sometimes, they don’t even accept all the adoptable animals in their service areas, much less the unadoptable ones.
Cities were legally required to respond to the grand jury report this month. Here’s an excerpt from Mission Viejo’s response (bolding courtesy of yours truly):
“(Mission Viejo Animal Shelter) currently accepts all strays from within our service areas. 
When space permits, we also accept adoptable owner-surrender animals from within our service area and surrounding communities including the service areas of (Orange County Animal Shelter). However, it should be noted that it is highly likely that a number of our stray animals are coming in from surrounding communities (including Orange County’s service areas).
“We feel that we are currently meeting the needs of pet owners and pets in our service areas and ultimately have no control over what an animal owner does with their animal. “
(Like, say, dumping it at the county shelter, which cannot turn it away.)
The county might just try charging those folks more, Mission Viejo suggested.
Fair?
The animal shelter culture clash isn’t exactly over. The county is analyzing exactly where the animals in its kennels come from, and will make decisions about seeking reimbursement by the end of the year.
The dozen cities that don’t contract with the county shelter, but whose animals apparently show up there occasionally nonetheless, are:
- Costa Mesa
- Dana Point
- Irvine
- Laguna Beach
- Laguna Niguel
- Laguna Woods
- Los Alamitos
- Mission Viejo
- Newport Beach
- San Clemente
- Seal Beach
- Westminster
· No mandatory spay/neuter law for OC pets
· OC’s dead pets enter the food chain. Mmmm.
· OC’s dead pets enter the food chain, part two
· OC’s dead pets enter the food chain, part three
· OC’s dead pets enter the food chain, part four
· Stop the killing! A no-nanny approach OC can emulate
· Recycling dead animals 1: Waste not, want not?
· Recycling dead animals 2: Waste not, want not?
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Thank you for explaining the policies of the “no kill” shelters that enable them to have that reputation and the kudos that go with it. I had no idea! Valuable education here.
Wow. Good to know. Also, taking on a pet and making it part of the family should not be taken lightly. If you bring a pet into your home, plan on caring for the pet over the long haul — it’s entire life. It’s extremely cruel to discard an animal because of inconvenience. Owners must consider all aspects of caring for an animal before bringing them into your home– the cost of upkeep, food, health bills, training — and time. And if you have children, make sure that they are of an age to treat the animal lovingly.
Part of the problem are these Mid-west puppy mills and local pet stores that tug at people’s heart strings with their cute little puppies. The puppies, by the way, are way over priced. But I digress. As a society, we are becoming saturated with dogs & cats because there are too many available for sale that later end up in shelters or pounds because the owner had to give the animal up for some reason. People: if you don’t plan to live in your home for the next 15 years and take care of your pet, just adopt one for God’s sake instead of wasting another animal life.
If you don’t spay/neuter your pets and adopt from a shelter when getting a pet you are part of the problem. No debate. If you have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a “breed” pet then you may want o check your motive for getting a pet. There are plenty of fantastic pets waiting adoption and I don’t understand how anyone could let even one of them die while you buy your “special ” breed.
My furry feline who I love to piece came from a high kill shelter six years ago. I will not feel guilty or check my motive as another suggests for wanting a Golden Retriever at some point which will not come from a shelter or the pet store but a reputable local breeder.
I applaud all shelters and those who have the strength to work there, whether no kill or not. If it weren’t for these services of adoptability all animals wouldn’t get a chance at life.
Not the shelters are the problem - the people who dump their dogs, breed their mixes and exit their foreclosed house leaving the dog behind.
I aggree with raven…shelters aren’t the problem, people are. The shelters are mearly providing a service for people who abandon their pets. I’m willing to guess that only a very small percentage of pets at the shelter are for legitimate reasons such as owners death or perhaps a small child with developed athesma.
I was a volunteer dog-walker at MV Animal Shelter, live in MV, and own dogs. Additionally, I work with and support two local rescue agencies. First, not only does MV take in nearly all dogs, it gets stuck taking in the dogs from folks that “lie” about where they “found” the dog. It does take owner-relinquishments, and I personally experienced that nearly 12 years ago, when they matched my Yorkie with a family seeking a companion dog. Second, occasionally, MV shelter gets low on dogs (under 10) and will go to the Riverside Animal Shelter (an unbelievably crowded shelter) and will take four or five of the most stable dogs to help out the shelter and provide MV residents with choices for adoption.
Third, MV has also lodged complaints against the OC Shelter for taking in dogs that are clearly from within MV borders (have tags are are identificable) and NOT notifying the MV shelter. Why does this matter? Because most dogs get a maximum of 10 days before euthanized at the OC Shelter. That means little “FIdo” might not live long enough to be claimed by its MV owner. At MV, I’ve personally watched big dogs be housed for months, waiting for the right home.
So, while I do not have access to the Grand Jury findings I am very skeptical of its facts and conclusions, having seen, first-hand, how the MV Shelter conducts business.
I second what your other readers said about 1/ not taking on an animal that you are not prepared to keep (that is cruel to the animal) and 2/ that puppy mills are at the heart of this problem. I would like to add that it is unrealistic to believe in no-kill alternatives, because it is reported that literally millions of dogs are put down every year in the U.S. There is no way that we can add that many dogs to shelter-for-life situations each year. Besides, it is cruel to expect a dog to live out his or her life in a shelter; death would be less traumatic. These are sentient beings; they need companionship and someone to care for them. Until we have laws that limit breeding and make breeders financially responsible for the disposition of the pets they produce, we will continue to condone this needless cruelty. Our belief that the problem can be solved on the shelter end is the problem; we must stop breeding millions too many dogs each year. We say we love dogs, but we refuse to inconvenience ourselves with the necessary laws to prevent needless carnage. It is time for us to give up some of our human “rights” so that animals do not suffer so horribly.
This is old news. PETA does the same thing. They claim to rescue animals but the true fact is that most of these shelters are over populated. They have no choice but to kill the poor animals.
I agree with the others. The problem is people.
Typical MO of ‘agenda’ groups.
raven - “Not the shelters are the problem …”
Laura - “I aggree with raven …”
Yeah, me too.
Dumb. So what if they don’t take a dog. The county does and they do kill. Either people are going to let the dog go or let the county find it and kill it when no one wants it.
What they don’t tell you in the article is that shelters take in dogs that people do want and sell them to rescues where in-turn they sell the dogs for hundreds of dollars. That is why when you go to a shelter they only have a bunch of mutts left over. No one want the mutts, that’s why the shelter is full of them. People don’t want to deal with all the regulations and high cost at rescues so they buy their jobs from breeders or out of the pennysaver.
As a former City of Irvine animal shelter employee for 10 years, I can say Irvine is not a no kill shelter. Dogs and cats are euthanized for behavior issues, medical issues and long term stay issues. Because Irvine and Mission Viejo have a reputation for being no kill, a vast majority of the “stray animals” are not from within these Cities boundries. I mean really how many Irvine residents own Pit Bulls. Most of the stray dogs brought into to the shelter are “found” or owned by people in other Cities. All a person has to do is say the dog/cat was found in Irvine and the shelter is obligated to take the animal in. So Irvine and Mission Viejo are taking in animals that are the responsibility of the County Shelter.
If the problem is people, which I agree it is. Then why does everyone complain about the mandatory spay/neuter law.? We were so close to finally getting a little control from the root of the problem, which is simply too many animals being born. Now instead we are arguing over where to dump the dog. By the way…any animal shelter whether it is a no-kill or not is a horrendous place for an animal to spend its days. Many shut-down due to the stress and ALL are extremely lonely. It is kinder to euthanize in many cases. And kindest for people to get responsible and not breed their dog.
Costa mesa just voted NO on spay and nueter law. Dumb. Also, watch out for pet stores and breeders for mini dauchsunds - 2 people I know got scammed. One bought from the Pet store at Fashion Island, was told its a mini, not a mini. After you fall in love with the dog, what, are you supposed to take it back once you realize its not a mini? Shame on you Fashion Island Pet Store!
As long as there is not a very low cost Spay/Neuter available to people there will be dumped pets. I have been shocked to hear of Vets charging $350 - $600 to sapy a dog! Who can afford that or would pay it? The person who paid similiar to buy a dog via a pet store via a puppy mill?
Fine; that’s their choice (unfortunately) but they even don’t spay/neuter saying “Oh Not My Baby…” until baby runs away to seek mating or is attacked in the process.
I’ve worked for the SPCA decades ago & as low new person on the kennel I had the morning job of euthanasing! So I know it 1st hand. Not until every county Animal Reg.s uses their gathered fees to serve a purpose to pet owners with a cheap useable Neuter /Spay clinic will a dent be made in the problem. As it is I see the county kennels as a Taxed without Representation problem. Pet owners are taxed for a license with the false claim that your dog will be easily returned to you but IF a Volunteer makes the connection it will still cost you to bail your pet out. The $$$s collected really support a staff, to feed, clean & kill the animals.
irvine will not say its a no-kill shelter.
seal beach does not take pit bulls.
animal rescue organizations have no room, they are maxed out from san diego to la. the government needs to enact laws to curb animal population. something needs to be done. neuter enforcement, no puppy mills, and make rabbit and other animal sales illegal (they are not pets).
I know of a few restaurants in Garden Grove that will gladly take those stray dogs and cats.
dudman said…”Part of the problem are these Mid-west puppy mills…” How about the disgusting lady in Laguna Niguel who ran an illegal dachshund puppy mill out of her home? She had most of the adult doxies de-barked (she and the vet who did this should be ashamed). These poor dogs are filtering into the MV Animal Shelter with no social skills. The sad thing is that she gets fined $500 and gets to keep a few dogs. So sad. To everyone who purchases dogs from “backyard breeders” and pet stores you should be ASHAMED. You are part of the vicious cycle!!
To Melissa:
While you’re certainly entitled to be skeptical of the OC Grand Jury’s findings, I can assure you that reports produced by the OC Grand Jury are not put together haphazardly. My father served on the OCGJ a few years ago (and happens to be an alternate this year), so I speak from secondhand knowledge. These reports are thoroughly researched and undergo more than one review (and not just for grammatical errors).
As for my personal experience with the Irvine shelter, I can confirm what “Former Shelter Employee” stated. It is not a “no kill” shelter in the truest sense of the term. I had to relinquish my first dog 8 years ago because of serious food aggression problems. The Irvine shelter brought in an animal behaviorist, who confirmed the dog was not adoptable and needed to be euthanized. That being said, I’ve always held the Irvine shelter in high regard because I believe they make every effort to hold onto dogs as long as possible until they can get adopted.
If there’s a model “no kill” shelter out there, I would point to the one nicknamed “Dogtown” in Utah (featured weekly on the National Geographic Channel). If a dog is not adoptable, they keep it and care for it until it dies.
As many readers have noted, the problem of pet overpopulation has serious impacts not only to county but local shelters as well. We need to be working toward low cost spay and neuter and TNR (trap neuter and release) programs, and we need to better educate people on taking care of pets. But none of what has been printed can take away from the fact the the OC shelter is too old, too small, too crowded, and too far away to be viable. We need reform throughout the system, but nowhere is the system as broken as at the county shelter.
I guess the no-kill shelters should just not even try helping adopting the stray pets that the People of these Communities discard.
Another solution would be after the no-kill shelter has ended their efforts to re-release the pets back on the streets and call the County to come pick them up.
The no-kill shelters appear to give these pets a little long life in hopes of getting adopted then just one stop pick up and kill county facility.
Why is this really an issue that another agency is helping these animals have a better chance (though longer available boarding) at getting adopted?
The county shelter also takes dogs and cats from cities that contract with the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter without notifying that shelter and then disposes of the pets while their owners have no idea what happened to them. This must happen with other city shelters as well as it is difficult to believe this could only be a problem for Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel. Also there are large numbers of people, who live in cities that contract with the County Shelter, who lie to get stray or relinquished animals into city shelters rather than taking them to the county because people don’t want these pets to die. This negatively impacts the local city shelters and the county shelter would have many more animals to deal with if all the people who live in cities that still contract with the county shelter took all the stray and relinquished animals there. Also we have learned by calling the county shelter and asking about relinquishing an animal that the county shelter is NOT ALWAYS OPEN. The county shelter has told us they do not accept owner relinquished animals when they are full, the same as the city shelters do. Also, according to South County Animal Shelter Coalition Member Valerie Bromberg, who is a high school math teacher and ran the numbers from the county, if the county shelter director, Jennifer Phillips, had encouraged our 4 cities in So. OC who still contract with the county shelter to get their own shelter rather than fighting us in every city, this would have reduced the County’s overload of impounded pets by 10%.