Check out this article on CNN:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-361022c.html
Shelter Means Death
City euthanizes half of pets it gets - audit
BY LISA L. COLANGELO
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Landing in a city animal shelter is a death sentence for more than half of the strays that are taken in, according to an audit released yesterday.
Still, City Controller William Thompson said his report found that conditions have improved in recent years at Animal Care and Control, which handles stray and abandoned animals for the city Health Department.
"Animals are treated more humanely than they were before, but they still have a long ways to go," said Thompson, who last audited the agency in 2002, finding what he called "a nightmare."
More than 44,000 animals were brought into city shelters in 2005, the vast majority of which were dogs and cats.
Of the canine and feline cases, only 27% were adopted. An additional 17% were taken by rescue groups and 4% were returned to owners.
But 52% were euthanized.
"That number is too high," said Thompson.
Animal Care and Control officials noted the audit largely praised shelter conditions and adoption efforts. But they said shelters are overwhelmed with unwanted animals.
"The biggest issue here is reducing the number of animals coming to care centers and that is going to require that people take responsibility for their pets by spaying and neutering them," said Richard Gentles, director of administrative service at AC&C. "This is not a problem we are going to adopt our way out of."
The audit, which covered July 2004 through this March, also found:
Sick animals being housed with healthy animals, possibly spreading illnesses, including upper respiratory infections.
Some 250 animals were unaccounted for, a problem attributed to sloppy bookkeeping.
Dogs in the Manhattan and Brooklyn shelters are rarely taken out of their cages for walks. Gentles said AC&C has started a dog-walk program with volunteers and has tightened up protocol for dealing with sick and missing animals.
"They also need to improve their visibility," Thompson said. "New Yorkers would open up their hearts a little more and adopt animals if they were aware."
Originally published on June 20, 2006