Had her mother found her way into a shelter before the end of her pregnancy this little girl would never have been born.
We are all aware of the horrors of euthanasia in shelters all over North America. Thousands of vibrant, healthy, loving animals whose lives are snuffed out because the shelter was overcrowded, or because they were fearful and have been deemed unadoptable because of it. There is another horror, one seldom spoken of, one the average person is unaware of, yet it takes just as many lives every year. That is the horror of abortions performed on pregnant animals that find their way into the shelter system before giving birth.
These abortions are performed in shelters all over North America on a regular basis. There is NO gestational cutoff, abortions are performed regardless of how far the pregnancy has advanced. No consideration is given to the psychological effect this may have on the animal in question.
This practice creates a moral dilemma for most of us regardless of our stand on abortion. Those who are anti-abortion will have the standard argument that abortion is murder, and we do not have the right to play God. Those who take a pro-choice stand will argue that being pro-choice means believing that every individual has a right to choose whether to abort or carry to term. That having been said, pro-choicers could conceivably argue that these animals are not given a choice the choice is made for them by well meaning but misguided shelter vets playing God.
While arguments could be made stating “shelters are merely controlling the population problem” or “there are already too many animals in shelters.” the fact remains that abortion of gestating litters is neither humane or moral by any definition. It is merely less work than the alternative.
Fact is that strays are not checked for pregnancy when brought into shelters. Most pregnancies of strays are discovered during spay surgery, and while surgery can be halted, and the animal allowed to give birth, it is simply easier and more cost effective to kill the viable litter.
Those of us who work with animals are well aware that they grieve loss, but how does an animal grieve a loss it can not possibly understand? One moment it feels life growing inside. It goes to sleep, and when it wakes up that life is gone. No explanation, just simply gone! Would shelters have us believe this has no effect on the animal? That it does not cause un-necessary suffering and misery? That ripping the young from an innocent animal’s body is not inhumane? Is there no moral line shelters will not step over?
The shelter system in North America is in dire need of a review of its practices. No kill is a possibility, and the only humane solution to the problem. However, in order for it to work, things must change drastically. Shelters MUST stop the killing of adoptable animals, and abortions of litters must be brought to an end. Legislation must be toughened, and new animal welfare legislation must be drafted. Sentencing of offenders must be toughened, and an animal rights code must be established.
The list of change that must take place is endless. One thing however, remains crystal clear. We as a society must band together, we must BECOME the change we seek. We are responsible for the mess we have made, it is up to all of us to clean it up.
You there! Yes…you! Don’t try to hide behind that couch! I see you! Will YOU be the change? Will YOU speak up and make a difference? Will YOU fight for what you believe in? Will YOU speak out for those who can’t? If you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem. Join us! BE a part of the solution.
Until Tomorrow Remember
BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK
Janette
10 Comments to “Shelters a Death Sentence for Unborn Litters”
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Pat Goldberg says:
Swear swear !!!! What to say. One horror after another.
Colleen McKoy says:
Unfreaking believable ! Will we EVER be able to become a NO KILL NATION ?!?!?! I hope so !!! So much work to be done….oh, that reminds me I need to write the prime minister about enforcing the Animal Cruelty legilation.
Deborah Kirkland-Edson says:
Hi Janette, I just wanted to let you know that this is not a practice at the Leeds-Grenville OSPCA. I’ve been a volunteer here for more than 8 years now and i can tell you for a fact that any pregnant animal that comes in, if they are not deathly ill or completely vicious, is allowed to give birth. Once the litter has been deemed ready to go, they are all adopted out. We have even had feral cats in who have been allowed to give birth even though we may not be able to adopt out the mother, the babies are completely adoptable.
Janette Hamilton says:
Thankfully that makes you the exception to the rule. I however am in Canada and like many states abortion of litters is standard practice here.
Deborah Kirkland-Edson says:
Oh i’m in Canada as well. I’ve honestly never heard of this but that means nothing, there are a lot of horror stories i’ve never heard of. At our shelter, the only time we euthanize is if the animal is either very, very sick or so completely vicious that we have to deem them unadoptable. i truly wish we had the resources to be able to work with the vicious ones and heal the sick ones but the vets in our area are not willing to cut us any deals. and i don’t think we have anyone who has been trained in rehabilitating aggressive animals. such a waste.
Janette Hamilton says:
It is a waste, and also what I specialize in. I take all the difficult cases, and sometimes rehab can take up to a year or more. I still think it is worth it if it saves a life.
It is not surprising that you have not heard of this, it is not something shelters make general knowledge. I am sure you can understand why they are reluctant to do so.
Janette Hamilton says:
Freaks you out right? It actually came to my attention when I registered as a rescue agency with my local SPCA spay and neuter clinic. I was told if I brought in a rescue animal to be spayed, and it was found to be pregnant the litter would be aborted without contacting me to allow me to make a decision. The clinic is now under strict instructions that NONE of my rescues will have litters aborted, and they have been told if they do so when I have advised the opposite, they will be facing a court case.
Cat owner says:
A vet’s view of spay abortions for TNR cats, wondering if it’s ethical or not:
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2007/may/feline-abortion-often-unnerving-necessity
janet hansen says:
This is the most absurd article I think I have ever read in the animal rights forums. Is this really all you have to worry about?? Millions are murdered in shelters every year and you have decided to champion the cause of the unborn? Who will also be born homeless? And if homes are found, will be taking the place of an adult, not so cute, not so cuddly, but deserving of a new chance in life? I am astounded. I will also be leaving this group.
Janette Hamilton says:
I am sorry to hear you feel the need to leave the group over one blog posting, but that is your right if you feel so inclined.
Today I champion the unborn, yesterday I championed those that spend life at the end of a chain, tomorrow there will be another issue. You make it sound as if the unborn are the only animals I speak for.
Many animals are born homeless, unfortunately many of those born homeless do not have a chance at life the way they may have if they are born in a shelter. I advocate the adoption of all animals not just puppies or kittens. Also I believe if there are empty adoption cages there is no reason to kill puppies or kittens before they have a chance at life. I am all for spaying and neutering of pets in shelters. I do not feel that allowing a litter of puppies or kittens to be born in a shelter takes the adoption possibilities of an older animal away. If an older animal is what someone wants it is what they will look for. If a puppy or kitten is what someone wants and they can’t find one at the local shelter they aren’t going to adopt an older animal they are just going to go to a pet store.
Besides that I am not “championing” the unborn so much as I am informing the public of the practices their negligence and ignorance have caused the shelter system to put in place.