These are the 2012 stats for the Kershaw Co pound in SC:
- Total Intake: 3851
- Total Killed: 2858
- Kill Rate: 74% (not included on report)
But a closer look reveals that once again, the math does not add up. If you take a look at this portion of the report which tallies the animals killed, you’ll notice that the months of January and February are missing entirely:
And in this portion, February and August are missing:
I guess we’re just supposed to take them at their word that the TOTAL column figure is correct. Although there is apparently no way of knowing for certain from this report how many pets Kershaw Co killed in 2012, the fact that so many animals were killed for behavior and for being sick is revealing. The number of animals killed annually by any shelter for behavior should be zero or in the case of special circumstances, some number extremely close to it. Illness is not a reason to kill a pet unless a veterinarian determines the pet is medically hopeless and suffering. The percentage of animals killed due to illness should be very small, definitely in the single digits with regard to percentage of total intake. “Orphan” is not a medically hopeless condition and the number of animals killed for that reason should be zero. Space is yet another excuse for needless killing and an outright admission that the shelter is failing to do its job. The number of animals killed for space should be zero.
The portion of the report tallying intake numbers is also missing January and February so the totals do not add up here either:
The above portion from 2012 includes a comparison figure from 2011 which also fails to match up. The 2012 report indicates that 4211 is the total intake number for 2011 but the 2011 report said that number was 4328.
It took me months to get the 2012 records from the county. I guess now I know why. In between the pound’s rigorous pet killing schedule and categorizing of excuses, someone was attempting to learn math. Unfortunately for the dogs and cats in Kershaw Co, it looks like the pound is more successful at killing than anything else.
What is really missing here are the definitions of behavior, sick and orphan. Many of the No Kill shelters are using the euthanasia policy from Maddie’s Fund in one form or another. The key element of this policy is the very detailed definition of healthy, non healthy, treatable and untreatable condition of the animal. Behavior of course is defined too.
Humm.. I’m speechless