California is home to the highest-kill shelters in the United States. These overburdened shelters are located in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
The concept of a dog being surrendered to a high-kill shelter is difficult for most dog lovers to comprehend. Many Los Angeles shelters that are consistently at capacity post signs stating that all owner surrenders will be immediately euthanized due to overcrowding. Yet some owners still proceed to surrender their pets, fully aware of the fate they will face.
Once in the shelter, bewilderment and confusion sink in for a dog. They don’t understand why they are there or what they did wrong. The truth is, they’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. They wait tirelessly at the front of their kennel, watching people walk by and hoping their family will return. Eventually, some shut down and lose all hope that their family is coming back for them.
Dogs are confined to small spaces, often intended for single-dog occupancy; however, the norm has become multiple dogs being kenneled together. If a dog becomes sick with kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection, they are often moved to the top of the euthanasia list. This system failure is impossible to stomach. An innocent being who relies on human intervention for care, love, and protection is added to an urgent list—meaning they are mere days away from being killed by lethal injection simply for being sick.
