I do not feel sorry for anyone who takes a paycheque for killing healthy animals, and I am tired of all the excuses and the whining. These "shelter workers" are not martyrs, they are perpetuating the cycle of breed, purchase, and dump, every day.

If they complained about taking verbal abuse on a daily basis for telling people to take responsibility for their own choices, yes, I would have a lot of sympathy, because I know what it's like to be on the end of that abuse. It happens to me every time I turn away an animal because I am already full to capacity of what I can humanely care for, or because experience has told me that there is no likelihood that I will ever be able to rehome a particular animal and will only end up having to keep it forever, or kill it.(And in the case of aggressive type dogs, keeping forever would mean caging or isolating in some way, which is inhumane and worse than death.)

It was very easy for me to start saying no. The thought process goes something like this: "Hmmm. Large pit bull cross. Chances of rehoming in a humane and stable environment, almost zero. Do I want him to live with me forever, isolated from all life because he is dangerous? No. Do I want to kill him? No." SORRY PET DUMPER, YOU LOSE!!. I won't take your dog because it is not my job to dispose of your dog. That is for you to do. It's time you learned what taking responsibility means. Goodbye.

So enough whining, all you staff whose job description includes killing the surplus and unsellable. You can't hate it that much or you'd quit. Or you'd start saying no to pet dumpers despite the fact that you might get fired for it.

What if they threw a party for all the poor "shelter workers" who take a paycheque to kill, and no one came?

We can get there, it just means more of us have to start saying NO.

Jennifer Dickson
Vernon BC