| Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC) ShelterReform.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about the AC&C, but were afraid to ask. |
Throughout its 15-year history, the AC&C has offered 3 excuses for euthanizing animals: lack of “space,” “illness,”
or “behavior.”
That’s why Shelter Reform was surprised to learn that the AC&C has done away with the “space” rationale for good.
In fact, the word “space” hasn’t appeared on an AC&C euthanasia list since January 1, 2010.
How was the AC&C able to do this, given how crowded the shelters have been this year? The Manhattan Shelter
was under endless construction, unable to accommodate more than 2/3rds of its regular load of animals. It was so
jammed at times that cats and kittens were stacked in small cages lining the hallways. With so many animals and so
few cages, why and how was the AC&C was able to achieve this extraordinary feat?
“WHY”:
Money. It was all about money. The Maddie’s Fund has given the Mayor’s Alliance millions of dollars in grant
monies over the past 8 years. The Maddie’s Fund has ordered that, starting January 1, 2010, the Mayor’s Alliance
must have an “adoption guarantee” for all “healthy shelter dogs and cats.” In other words: the AC&C can no longer
use “space” as a reason to kill an animal. (See page 25 of the Attached 5-year Maddie’s Fund Guidelines, which
you can also find buried in the Alliance 's website at: http://www.maddiesfund.org/Documents/Funded%
20Projects/NYC%20Year%205%20Adoption%20Application.pdf )
“HOW”:
How can the AC&C kill an animal without admitting that the real problem is space. That’s easy. Use another
excuse. The AC&C can say the animal is “ill.” So what if the animal is suffering from a treatable cold, or is well on
the road to recovery, or simply looks like it might have a cold? Or the AC&C can put an animal down for supposed
bad “behavior,” even though the AC&C has never been able to accurately test for temperament. To assign more
animals to the bad “behavior” category thereby avoiding the “space” category, 3 months ago the AC&C turned a
"moderate" rating into a failing temperament grade.
So, who’s happy with this charade of not killing for “space”? The Alliance is happy. The Maddie’s Fund is happy.
The AC&C is happy. The Mayor and the Department of Health are happy.
Okay, the animals aren’t so happy. This Labor Day weekend … when the AC&C is sure to be overflowing with cats
and dogs … don’t be concerned that there may not be space for all of them. And for goodness sakes, don’t
mention those missing shelters in the Bronx and Queens that would’ve provided extra space.
"There’s plenty of space." (Say that 100 times and you'll believe it.)
If you’re not happy, then here’s a list of people to whom you should complain. Click Here
To read more about the problems with temperament testing Click Here and to read about the problem with disease
at the AC&C Click Here.
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