Animal shelter seeks clear policy

VALPARAISO | Ten percent of the 404 dogs and cats that left the Porter County no-kill shelter since the new director took over in August were euthanized.

Of the 30 cats put to death, 27 suffered from medical problems and three had behavioral issues, Director Kristina Montgomery said.

Seven of the euthanized dogs were deemed too aggressive and five had medical problems, she said.

Montgomery told the shelter's advisory board last week a recent parvo-virus outbreak at the facility resulted in three dogs being euthanized.

The figure is far less than in 2007, when the shelter euthanized 1,384 dogs and cats, or an average of nearly four animals a day. That number began plummeting the following year when the county opted to give all adoptable animals more of a chance to find a home.

Montgomery said shelter officials have yet to come up with either a clear definition of no-kill or decide how much money to spend treating a sick animal. More money for treatment would translate into less animals euthanized, she said.

Shelter advisory board members formed a subcommittee last week to look at the financial threshold for care.

PAWS Chicago, the city's largest no-kill organization, has a policy that "euthanasia is reserved only for those dogs who are vicious and pose a threat to the public or those cats and dogs who are irremediably suffering, in which medical treatment cannot alleviate their condition."

PAWS, which posted revenue of $11 million in 2010, euthanized 122 dogs and cats during the same year, which accounted for 3 percent of its animal population, according to its annual report.

The Humane Society of Hobart criticizes Porter and Lake counties' shelters in the fall issue of its newsletter for refusing to accept stray animals, which has put a greater burden on its facility. This impact of overcrowding was among concerns voiced when the no-kill policy was adopted.

Montgomery said the county shelter now has a policy of accepting animals from Porter County residents regardless of available space. The exception are residents from Portage, which has a contract with the Humane Society of Hobart.