Tucked away in the annual reports of the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County in years past has been a startling statistic we’ve tried too hard to keep in the shadows: the number of healthy, adoptable pets euthanized at our shelter for the year.

For 2005, that number is 2,453. Sickeningly large, yes. Yet this is a vast improvement over the 1980s.

While we’re proud the number of pets euthanized at the Humane Society has declined, that’s not good enough. The practice of killing healthy, adoptable pets needs to stop altogether. And we’re dedicating our efforts over the next two years to end the killing.

Euthanasia to end suffering is a kindness. For vicious dogs, it is unavoidable. But euthanasia to end the lives of vibrant, healthy pets isn’t kind. And it is avoidable. As a community, we can no longer accept euthanasia as an answer for our unwanted and homeless pets. We owe them a solution that is more compassionate and more humane.

While more than 7,000 homeless animals from our shelter find homes every year, far too many do not. And for the loving shelter workers who must hold them one last time before gently giving them the injection that will end their lives, the daily toll is almost unbearable.

Every puppy and kitten born in Pierce County has the potential to change a life, to complete a family, to enrich the community. But we cannot continue to bring them into our community by the thousands only to end their lives a few months later.

We at the Humane Society are going to change that. We have made the commitment to find every healthy, adoptable dog, cat, puppy and kitten a home that comes to us.

We have chosen to refocus our efforts away from animal control in order to end the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals in Pierce County, and it is a commitment we take seriously.

In the months ahead, we will be working hard to reduce the number of unwanted pets by expanding our spay/neuter education and low-cost spay/neuter programs.

We will reduce the number of pets entering our shelter by helping pet owners solve behavior problems so they can keep their pets. We will expand adoption efforts by introducing matchmaking programs, increasing shelter dog socialization and training programs and enlarging the number of underage puppy and kitten foster homes.

We are expanding off-site adoption programs and Internet adoptions and working with other animal welfare groups to save as many animals as possible from euthanasia.

We will continue to work with animal rescue organizations, veterinarians, municipal officials, responsible dog breeders, our compassionate volunteers and all who care deeply about the animals in our community.

Our goal is not simply to operate a “no-kill shelter” where animals are turned away when we are full, but rather to make Pierce County a “no-kill community.” That means we need your help.

How can you help fix the problem? Spay or neuter your pet. Adopt a dog or cat from the Humane Society. Volunteer to foster a litter of puppies or kittens. Neuter the stray cat you feed from your porch.

Talk to your friends, your neighbors, your family members – encourage them to spay and neuter their pets. And start early. Teach your children what it means to be a good pet owner.

Euthanasia can no longer be the answer. The day will come when people will shake their heads in amazement that there was ever a time when lively, playful puppies and kittens were routinely killed. We’ve set that day for December 31, 2008.

Working together, we hope to end the heartache even sooner.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 3rd, 2006 at 4:19 pm and is filed under General.

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