Second Chance: Read Carefully & Fact Check

02 Mar Second Chance: Read Carefully & Fact Check

Hi my name is Coraline. I am a lovely young kitty here at Second Chance Humane Society waiting for a new family to call my own. I had a big scare the other day while looking at the help wanted ads, hoping to find an open position for a lap kitty.

Coraline

In that paper, I saw an article mentioning Second Chance and euthanasia in the same sentence. That scared a hairball right out of my mouth! I thought I had done my research on the shelter and was pretty certain no one euthanizes anyone here. Yet this article mentioned a five-day holding period. What the bleep?!

I knew I needed to get to the bottom of this fast – or plan my escape. I quickly sought out the wise elder of the Second Chance Cat Castle, Kodiac. And Kodiac assured me that he has indeed been at the shelter for several earth’s orbits around the sun. But then I thought…well he is old and mellow – maybe they euthanize younger, more energetic ones like me.

So I went and spoke with many more animals, from a sick young cat to a fat middle-aged dog and everything in between. Bottom line: I could find no evidence of euthanasia at Second Chance. Instead what I found is a host of animals ready for adoption or receiving medical and behavioral rehabilitation so they can be adopted. So what was up with that garbage in the paper!?!?

Just to scare me?!?!

Well, I never did find the answer to that question and I just hope none of the other animals here reads those awful words.

I did find out, however, that strictly no-kill animal shelters are few and far between these days because it is considered inhumane to let unadoptable animals languish in cages for their lifetimes. (Kodiac gets to roam the Cat Castle.) And it is now recognized in the animal welfare industry that there are some scenarios in which humane euthanasia is in the best interest of the animal or the safety of the public.

Such extremely rare cases involve pets with behavioral or temperament characteristics that pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement, also pets suffering from an untreatable illness or injury. So, only unadoptable pets with serious and untreatable health or behavioral conditions are euthanized in animal shelters like Second Chance – and  thankfully that rarely occurs.

So my panic has subsided. I have indeed come to the right place. I will sleep soundly again knowing I will be safe and nurtured for as long as it takes (hopefully not much longer…) until I find my new forever home.

Purrrrrrrrrrr.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)