Walking the Green Mile. . . for Jack.

The hardest part of my job  normally comes on Thursday afternoons. For those of you who know me, I call this the Green Mile walk. If you have read the book or seen the movie you know what I am referring to. Many people don't realize, or don't want to realize, what happens to far too many animals that come into an animal shelter. An estimated 4-6 million (from the ASPCA and HSUS) dogs and cats are euthanized, killed, every year. In the shelter I manage, last years numbers show that 1 out of every 2 animals that come into the shelter do not go home. They walk the Green Mile. I work very hard to this number, from other data, I can tell you that the number has been as high as 90% of all animals going into that shelter leave via the green mile.

We can try to make ourselves feel better by saying that many of the animals are aggressive or in a poor state of health, and that it is better for them to be put down. The reality of it is that a small number of animals meet that criteria. Most of these animals are put down to the sure fact that there are no where near enough homes for all of the animals out there. We kill these animals because humans have failed them, plain and simple. Instead of caring for these animals people choose to throw them away. Someone else will care for them or they can fend for themselves is the mentality. What did these animals do to end up in a shelter? Many of these animals did nothing but love an owner that thinks they are disposable.

I don't know how many times I will get a call from a pet owner telling me about their lost animal. When I ask how long they have been missing their response always shocks me. If my animal was missing I would be on the phone and out on the street looking for them. Many people wait, not days, but weeks before contacting their local shelter or animal control to see if their animal is there. In the state of Kansas an animal shelter or humane society is only required to keep an animal three business days. Yes, THREE BUSINESS DAYS! At the end of that time the animal becomes the property of the shelter. Once those three days are over, the shelter then has the right to adopt this animal out to a new family, transfer it to rescue or euthanize the animal. I know many shelters do the best they can, but the number of animals vs the number of kennels available makes keeping animals much longer than those required three days difficult. This is the part of the job I find most difficult, the decision between who stays and who goes. Is it fair? No. Its not fair to these animals, that their owner has failed to come pick them up from the shelter. Or just has decided that they don't care to even look for their lost animal.

Last week I parted with a dog that had been in my shelter for over a month. The poor guy even had a collar and a tag on. His owner just didn't feel that it was her responsibility to come pick up the animal even after I contacted her multiple times. I had to make a choice as I had no more room in my shelter. This dog lost his life because the person who "claimed" to be responsible for him left him there to die. Every time I walk the green mile with these dogs a piece of my heart cracks. I bond with many of these animals as I am their care giver for the days they live under our roof at the shelter. For the animals that walk the green mile I feel I have failed them. We as a society have failed them. I just hope and pray that these animals understand why I have to do what I do. This is why when I am out cleaning kennels I don't rush. I play and interact with these animals so that if these are the last days on this earth they know that someone truly cared and wanted what was best for them. I just wish there was a way to save them all.

Until each and every one of us stands up and takes responsibility for the animals on the earth. Dogs and cats just like Jack will continue to lose their lives. Next time you think it will be neat to breed your dog or don't have the money to get your animal vaccinated or fixed. Think of Jack.