I know this is a tough debate. I think what AAS is saying though, is that it is time to make people more responsible. I remember someone once telling me that years ago the SPCA had a sign up that said something to the effect of, 'we can not guarantee if you drop your pet off, that your pet won't be euthanized.' I think due to fear of bad pr, the SPCA does not have that sign up, but I wish they had a sign like that one or one that said, 'if you drop your pet off with us, we can not guarantee a good home, nor can we guarantee we won't euthanize your pet.'

Why not tell people the real truth! Maybe the sign could also say, 'we can not guarantee your pet won't die just from the stress of a shelter'

I know of an example a few years ago when a co-worker came to me and told me her son wanted to get rid of their dog. When asked about the dog, I was told it was a male, black chow, about 5 years old who had lived outside his entire life. All I could think of, was, 'this dog had extremely, extremely little hope of getting a decent home.' Black, male, chow, middle aged and no socialization.

I told her, 'honestly, this is not an adoptable dog and you should be finding the dog a home yourself by carefully advertising. I am not sure this dog would survive the shelter environment as he would probably be there for a long time, and I would almost think that this dog is better off euthanized because that is probably what the SPCA is going to do anyway.'

I don't ever like to recommend that, but only did so, so she could fully realize how difficult it is to find a dog a home...especially the dog she had just described to me.

Well, they tried to dump this dog at the Delta SPCA. And lo and behold! the Delta SPCA refused to take this dog.

Unfortunately then took their dog to their vet's and have the dog euthanized.

As sad as this story is, at least these owners had to go through the uncomfortableness of euthanizing their dog. At least they had to be responsible. At least it was not some SPCA staff member who had to go through the 'awfulness' of euthanizing. At least the dog did not sit in an incredibly stressful situation at a shelter and then end up euthanized, or adopted to someone who put the dog at the end of a chain, believing the dog to be 'mean' because he was black and male.

Of course, the real answer I believe is for the SPCA to get serious about enacting breeding by-laws so backyard breeders can not breed these kinds of dogs, and then sell them to people like I've mentioned who are irresponsible and don't care.

And of course, I worry if there is no place to dump animals, what would happen?

But I do believe AAS makes a good point about making people more responsible for their 'dumping' behaviour.