Dogs in Danger: A deathrow countdown
"I have only seven days left!"
Every nine seconds a homeless dog in America gets euthanized -- and since October the web site DogsInDanger.com has been putting a heartstring-tugging face on that alarming statistic.
Criticized by some, praised by others, Dogs in Danger posts photos and information on dogs that are scheduled to be euthanized at participating shelters, complete with a countdown to their execution.
It's a little too real for some people, and critics say the web site is using guilt to get people to adopt animals, leading sometimes to hasty and unsuccessful adoptions. The web site's creator, New Yorker Alex Aliksanyan says that's better than the alternative, and points out that 3,628 animals have been "saved" since it began. Aliksanyan says he makes no money from the site.
The web site has a memorial tribute page for each dog that doesn't get saved, each with an opportunity to contribute to Dogs in Danger in that dog's name.
Only a small percentage of shelters across America -- about 335 in all -- are participating in the web site, which has been criticized for taking shelter estimates of how much time dogs in shelter have left and carving it, if not in stone, at least on the Internet.
The web site has no entries from Maryland, Delaware or Pennsylvania.
An estimated 3 to 4 million dogs are euthanized a year in the U.S., and most big city shelters are now at least working toward becoming no-kill, including Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) and the Maryland SPCA.
But smaller, rural shelters, like the one Petey (pictured above in a shelter photograph) is in at Saint Clairsville, Ohio, and the one mentioned in this TV station report from New Mexico, say because of their tiny budgets aggressive tactics such as those Dogs in Danger uses are necessary.
What's your opinion?
Comments
I've read about this site before, including the criticisms mentioned, but I think they are performing a needed service. Many people are happy to keep their heads in the sand about many animal issues and this makes it harder to hide from the issue of euthanizing healthy animals due to a lack of homes. Better the dogs get possibly a somewhat impulsive home than no chance at all.
My animal companions were all shelter/stray animals and were wonderful companions, most of which I had not planned in advance on adopting. They just came into my life by chance, mostly, so impulsive is not nessarily a bad thing, especially when saving an animal's life.
Posted by: Linda | March 7, 2008 7:26 PM
This is a tought one to judge. I guess you have to look at the results and determine if the ends justify the means.
Posted by: Ty Brown | March 8, 2008 9:42 AM
I just did a quick search and it came up with 4 dogs in MD at the Humane Society of Dorchester County.
Hopefully all shelters will become no-kill shelters in the future. In the meantime, more people need to take actions to prevent the problem through spay/neuter and pet education programs. These poor animals deserve much better than they get in life.
Posted by: Julie | March 9, 2008 8:59 PM
I think people need to face the reality that these wonderful animals are being slaughtered and people need to take responsibility for their decisions. When you get a pet, it's not a pair of shoes or jeans. i've never understood how people can dismiss or get rid of these wonderful animals that show the most unconditional and pure love. I think that if showing the truth, as harsh as it may be, gets people to do something about it, then so be it. I'm writing on behalf of my two adopted dogs that got a second chance. I couldn't imagine them not being in my life. Thanks
Posted by: Patricia | March 20, 2008 7:28 PM
It's very sad, but if people would spay and neuter their pets there wouldn't be so many dogs and cats facing euthanasia. Unfortunately, there are just too many unwanted animals out there. But this can easily be prevented if people would simply spay and neuter.
Posted by: Kari | December 19, 2008 3:39 PM
i spent the christmas holiday this year trying to save a small dog that was brought into our shelter,he was small black dog and he was in a kill shelter just going into the gas chamber when we saw him and said we would take him.i met him when i was told about him i went to his cage we named him justin, very small ball of hair and mats i could not see his face or see breathing,i opened the cage and moved my hand over his back!nothing? is he dead?then slight movement and he tried to lift his head,his face was all hairless and he had dark eyes that looked at you but did not see you,he moaned and i took him from the cage and held him in my arms,i rocked back and forth and telling him i was so sorry for him,and i will love him we will love him and take care of him,then i thought i felt something his toungue that was dry and cracked licked my hand! i cried, i spent all three days feeding him by hand a 2 hour chore for both little scraps of food and water,we took him to the vet he moaned all the way i want to hold him but was told i could not go in to the vet with him they kept him and did medications and fluids and i prayed for him then on the day after christmas i e-mail my shelter so say i was coming in to be with "my boy" and was told that he fought hard but he was to far gone to be helped anymore,i froze reading this, then it said that the boss of the shelter took him to her private vet and the women that taught me how to ran a kennel was there and held him till he passed.i will miss him i really did love him and i would have taken him home if i could have maybe done more,poor justin someone loved him,i hope i will meet him again someday.that is what its like to be in a shelter and see all the waste of wonderfull animals,if anyone reads this,try to help just one animal and you will make a difference...rjwequine1@verizon.net
Posted by: RICH WALTERS | January 22, 2009 8:53 PM