Animal euthanasia in shelters should be illegal.

Shelters use euthanasia for dogs and cats when they run out of room, or if they are very busy and don’t have time to take care of all the animals. Dogs and cats usually have 5-7 days to get adopted, or they are put down. Sometimes, if a shelter is very busy, they’ll have even less time than that.

These animals are often found on the streets, neglected, or abused by their previous owners. They get taken to an animal shelter, only to be put down soon after. They don’t get a second chance in life, unless somebody wants to adopt them in that short amount of time, and they often get overlooked by healthy puppies and kittens. We could play a role in helping these poor animals.

First of all, what is animal euthanasia? Euthanasia is a quick, painless death that takes action in about 1-2 minutes. Pentobarbital is injected into the vein, and as the animal becomes unconscious, the heart and brain shut down.

How can we help these animals?

If you have a dog or cat, they need a collar, or a microchip. That way, if they get lost, the animal shelter can figure out who they belong to, and they won’t be at risk of animal euthanasia. If you are thinking about getting a dog or cat, consider getting one at an animal shelter instead of a breeder. You’re giving these animals a second chance at life. You could also donate money to the animal shelter. A little money can go a long way toward helping these animals.

Currently, Delaware is the first and only state to be a no-kill state. That means they have at least a 90% release rate of the pets they take in at the shelter. By doing the things listed above, you can play a role in increasing that release rate, and ultimately, Louisiana can become a no-kill state as well.

To learn more about animal euthanasia and how to help, visit www.americanhumane.org.