What I learned from working in an animal shelter

How it began...it could be anyone's first job (well, just about anyone's)...
After working at a grooming shop for 2 years (part time) I began to see the need for full time employment. (Smart move at 20 years old.)
I love dogs the answer seemed simple.

My attention always landed on animals--- That is how I enjoyed my free time. They are how I was comforted and how I escaped reality. An animal shelter was where I wanted to be.

Lucky for me... Full time employment with decent pay, benefits and canines were close at hand.

My superviser new of friend who worked in a well known shelter and was going to get any information about employment for me.

A few days later I applied.
Weak in the knees and cooing over the dogs and cats I waited, interviewed and yes was hired. My 'dream' job at 20 years of age; so I thought.

Weeks went by. The daily grind of cleaning kennel runs, bathing dogs and trying to answer public questions consumed me. Happy, whistling through the hallways, while I scrubbed and hosed the kennels and answering potential adoptee questions.

There certainly was some difficulty adjusting. Staff would disappear and 'do there thing' and I would work in the kennel. It was a lonely start. Not bad, but lonely. Coping skills kick in quickly ... (if you have them!) Eventually I became somewhat of an oddity...Happy, whistling through the hallways, while I scrubbed and hosed the kennels and answering potential adoptee questions. (Yep, the slightly annoying new employee who hadn't yet grasped the entire concept of the animal sheltering world.

Of course as a fuzzy four footed 'lover' I started to become attached to many in my care. Such as with 'The dogs in the back'. Not just the dogs up for adoption, but the dogs unclear of possible adoption. The 'ones' you naturally feel the need to 'save'. Yep, I was hooked. Heartstrings tugged each day for hours on end.

I still needed to 'save' and wanted to help the sweetest faces and 'simply not understood' and 'unloved' find a home. The statement 'They just needed love' all to commonly heard is now what I believe to be...quickly became what I believe to be THE worst statment vacalized within an animal shelter. "I could never do your job...I love anaimls too much."

Adoptable:
A pet that exhibits a temperment that has promise in being a good companion pet.
The pet should not exhibit an obvious tendency toward aggression. The dog should not have a bite history. Should respond to leadership and training. Does not exhibit behaviors that may be perceived as dangerous to other humans (some may say other companion pets as well). The dog should accept and enjoy normal routine handling.

All in all a comapanion pet should be exactly that... a companion. A dog. But still a companion. This does not mean that a working dog is not adoptable...he/she may be able to be placed into another working environment with experienced handlers doing what he or she has in fact be trained (and usually loves) to do.

Using a 'Field WORKING' DOG As an example:
Inviting a working dog that has had extremely LIMITED contact with people into your home to live out his golden years, may infact result in extreme dissappointment...for you and the dog. Let's see why.

This dog may perceive his pack as the herd of sheep he diligently works to protect and is rewarded for doing so.
In this example, after eight years of performing his work... he is surrendered to a shelter due to the death of his owner. Absolutely no fault of his own. His owner has died.
He is adorable. Seems housebroken. Is attentive.
You adopt and invite him into your toasty home filled with furniture, comfortable bedding, clean rugs, plenty of food and a cute back yard.

Your home is comfortable in all measures. It is away from outdoor stimuli (with the exception of tossing a play outside and an occasional walk around the neighborhood). It is void of all canine type physical work (except perhaps the consideration of a basic obedience class).

Please STOP for a moment now. Think of where he came from and where he is now...
As well intended as this adoption may be, it has the potential for some tremendous flaws...

His background (that you are actually very fortuanate to know is evident.)
How he may see it...
Like removing you from the culture that you live within and dropping you into another far away place...relocating you away from your family, language, country, job, children.
ABSOLUTLEY NO ACCESS to what you know or what you were trained to do.
How long do you think you would want to stay? How would you react? How would you cope? Would you panic? Would you truly be happy? Are you fearful?
Is this a fair and noble thing to do to a dog?

This specific dog may adjust and perceive you as his pack and continue to protect, 'lashing out' at unsuspecting delivery men, visiting children, neighbors...never intentionally meaning harm...just doing his job. A job that placed into the wrong caretakers hands is deemed viscious, intentional and untrustworthy.

Most new adopters/caretakers are not skilled, diligent or instinctual to handle this type of behavior, nor should they have to.
They had set out to the shelter to adopt a nice companion pet.

So here lies the question...
Is it more humane to euthanize this specific dog?
or
Place him into a home regardless of his background and behavior within the kennel?

These are the types of decisions that are REGULARLY placed on adoption counselor's shoulders.

At this point in my life, (assuming I have exhausted attempts at finding him another working home, I would choose the choice of euthanasia. Yes, this is probably not going to be a popular choice (I already know this!)
Physically the dog is in fine condition. Mentally he is stable and able to do his job. Realistically the adaptability and quality of life for him and the adopter within a typical home is not so great.

What do typical adoptors crave and need...healthy happy stable dogs that can adapt to their lifestyle. Not escalating challenges that lead to the regret of adopting.

Adopters look to the adoption counselor for answers (not sarcasm, although after a few years this may happen more often than not).
Adopters look for the PERFECT match for their family. A pet. Not usually all of the NORMAL stuff and challenges that comes with a new pet.

Give adopters a chance to succeed with their new dog. Start them off with a dog that has the potential to enjoy what the adopter can and wants to give.

Oodles and oodles of fantastic dogs ranging from pups to adults are in shelters on any given day. Many of them coming from perfectily normal backgrounds. Some are the victims of divorce, some the victims of lack of time or lack of diligence in training. All having fabulous potential to be GREAT GREAT companion pets.
Yes, they still need training, many will need extensive socialization. All need exercise and discipline & of course love.

The common cure...for the good...Eliminating the pets that are not adoptable (as written above) would help to reduce the numbers that actually fill the shelters. This would allow people the opportunity to concentrate on a pet that they may actually enjoy. (People have an inate sense to pick the underdog and try to save it to feel better about themselves...give them a dog truley in need of saving as the happy dogs are notoriously left behind as they are currently surrounded by the 'overly - needy'...and consequently are those themselves being left behind...because people think that someone else will take him. A horrible situation.

One last note...by making 'THE DECISION' you have saved many people from the sadness that looms with an overly difficult and possible unstable dog. The lack of socialization; the bites that others suffer; the heartbreak of the owner in returning the pet when things don't work out.
Even more importantly... 'The Decison' leads to the ability to concentrate and encourage successful adoptions that will lead to happy word of mouth and even more adoptions again in the future...all because the kennel attendent allowed the adoptable dogs to shine through. The adoptors and the dogs get to have a great experience.

Day after day:

Each visitor walked through the door, through the kennel touching (if they could) and passing by deciding not to adopt.

Each visitor came because 'They love dogs so much'.

& the kennel counselor; the person dedicating their life and 8 full hours per day caring for each dog. Evaluating them. Walking them, playing with them, feeding them, medicating, bathing and loving them. ...Each pet's 'stand in family' because at this moment in time... that pet does not have one.

This hard working person is the person hearing these same stressful ignorant statements over and over again...

Hearing the often asked question...You don't put them to sleep do you? Politely followed by the correct and to some stunning answer:
Yes, there are situations where we do euthanize; usually due to finding the pet 'unadoptable'.

Followed by the vistors statement:

THE statement that resonates time and time again...
'I could never do your job, I love dogs too much.'

A Kennel Attendents description modified:
There is one more CRITICAL part of kennel counselor...the attendent should be aware of the mental and behavioral health of an animal in their care while remaining objective AND able to acknowledge when euthanasia is necessary.

This portion and part of the job is not trained for, expected, or easy.

It is the part most avoided. It is the part most challanged and judged. Critiqued. Analyzed & Berated. It is still necessary.

But again critically important. Anyone can think they love so much.
It takes true love to know when enough is enough and to show mercy.

Staff issues are normal within every work place.
But within an animal shelter there is a dynamic that is a bit more unique than within other workplaces.

It may make sense to enter this thought here:
kennel staff (not the volunteers) but hired shelter staff ...are not USUALLY 'people' people. They
are people who have a passion and attachment for pets, many times driven by former relationships developed over their lifetime of living with family pets and turning to them for comfort...perhaps from being outcast from people. However dedicated to these pets, they are obligated to educate those they believe ignorant and possibly even undeserving of the pets that they aim to protect.

Essentially these kennel attendants may feel they are shooting themselves in the foot over and over again.

There is nothing quite so traumatic as adopting out a pet to a well intending adoptor, fully realizing that this adoptor may be better suited for a different temperment...but you will give them the benefit of the doubt...because THIS IS THE ONE THAT THEY WANT... and they have experience & they have a fenced in yard...and all else seems fine; except for your gut feeling.
Months go by (if your that lucky). "Said dog" is returned with this wonderful stigma...He tried to bite my neighbor.
Well, in our neck of the woods...this behavior is not tolerated and yes "said dog" is brought back into the shelter to become one of "the dogs in the back". Your gut was right. & It is too late now. But the kennel attendent promises themselves it won't happen again. Lesson learned.

Here lay problem 2. A wall is now developed between our promising kennel attendent and the public...not a barrier that is easily removed because 'said dog' is now dead. Helping the public is challenging... they want only what they want and they want it now; not necessarily what is best suited to them; and heavens help everyone around if if you ask them to wait for the 'right' dog. A VERY difficult dilemma. Your adoption counselor may now be sarcastic; rude; non-attentive to the visitors needs, choices or inquiries...(Essentially useless when handling the pubic rapport) and the adoption counseling portion suffers (unless you happen to truley be the PERFECT home...and you are a RARE find!)

Kennel attendents, shelter workers...and the like typically are there for a need and want to connect with what they love. That is animals.
But once reviewing the typical above scenario you may understand why this may become exaggerated leading to possibly an unfriendly visit to any animal shelter.

The part that so many forget. The part that so many never realize.
The part that hurts shelters the most. These people are hired with the best intentions and left to sort through the mess the public dishes out. People CONTINUIALLY drop off pets (on some days dozens or more)...UNWANTED... for endless reasons. The people surrendering... some true and sincere...MOST rehearsed... and filled with assorted lies and stories.
I assure you this job is not easy. Not easy at all.

Give adopters a chance to succeed with their new dog. Start them off with a dog that has the potential to enjoy what the adopter can and wants to give.

Oodles and oodles of fantastic dogs ranging from pups to adults are in shelters on any given day. Many of them coming from perfectily normal backgrounds. Some are the victims of divorce, some the victims of lack of time or lack of diligence in training. All having fabulous potential to be GREAT GREAT companion pets.
Yes, they still need training, many will need extensive socialization. All need exercise and discipline & of course love.

The common cure...for the good...Eliminating the pets that are not adoptable (as written above) would help to reduce the numbers that actually fill the shelters. This would allow people the opportunity to concentrate on a pet that they may actually enjoy. (People have an inate sense to pick the underdog and try to save it to feel better about themselves...give them a dog truley in need of saving as the happy dogs are notoriously left behind as they are currently surrounded by the 'overly - needy'...and consequently are those themselves being left behind...because people think that someone else will take him. A horrible situation.

One last note...by making 'THE DECISION' you have saved many people from the sadness that looms with an overly difficult and possible unstable dog. The lack of socialization; the bites that others suffer; the heartbreak of the owner in returning the pet when things don't work out.
Even more importantly... 'The Decison' leads to the ability to concentrate and encourage successful adoptions that will lead to happy word of mouth and even more adoptions again in the future...all because the kennel attendent allowed the adoptable dogs to shine through. The adoptors and the dogs get to have a great experience