# How long is too long for a dog to be in a shelter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778 "2016-08-04T22:02:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/21 "2016-08-05T20:28:14Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > I hate when animal rescues have unreasonable rules and standards for adoption! I was trying to adopt a dog for awhile through rescue societies and they had these crazy forms and house inspections and questions like “Are you or is anyone in your house a smoker?” > > I’m not, but I was annoyed by the question. Isn’t a dog living in a house with a smoker better off than euthanized at a young age, or forced to live in a tiny kennel at a smelly overcrowded shelter? Isn’t living with someone without a fenced-in yard (who walks the dog twice a day) better than living in a kennel? It was a few years ago so I don’t remember all the details of their restrictions, but they went beyond that, couples needed references to show they were in a stable relationship, no first time pet owners, no apartments no matter the size of a dog or the ability of the adopter to walk it frequently, other bizarre stuff. I think they hadn’t placed a single animal in over a year by the time they were shut down. And in the end a lot of the animals had to be euthanized anyway. All they did was torture those poor critters before the inevitable end. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/22 "2016-08-05T20:38:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That sounds wonderful. I don’t know of any coordination like that around here. Do you have a name or a link to something for reference? It’s all stemmed from Maddie’s Fund, but started with the directors of the shelters just, you know, talking to each other! CASA - Chicago Area Shelter Alliance. Here’s a link to Maddie’s Fund: [Maddie's Fund](http://www.maddiesfund.org/index.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/23 "2016-08-05T22:14:28Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > Scanning the web page for a no-kill shelter I used to volunteer at I noticed most of their “old timers” were still there. These are four dogs that have been at the shelter since 2012! > > One is a 4.8 year old female that is scared of her shadow and the world in general. She was born there and has only left ONCE with a volunteer who promptly returned her. > > The second is a Chow mix that has bitten multiple people and no one is allowed to walk him. > > The third is a medium sized brown dog that is withdrawn and can be dog aggressive. > > The fourth is a dog aggressive lab mix that only seems to like one of the staff members. I don’t have a strong categorical opinion on ‘no kill’ but if the dog lives normal (caged, pretty low rate of human contact) shelter life for years, that can become cruel IMO. I don’t understand why though various people have said these specific dogs, other than maybe the Chow, can’t be saved. Our current dog spent 5 months in a shelter. It was no-kill which had to convert to kill to cut down its population. She was thought be to mentally deteriorating and scheduled for the needle. A rescue outfit took her out; we happened to have looked her up on the web at just the same time and wanted to meet her. Shelter put us in touch with rescue, she put her charm spell on us and that was that. She was just bummed out by the shelter, fine once she was out. BTW she was fine with other dogs in her shelter days, there’s even a clip of her on the “Today in NY” show with her shelter mates we saw later, acting very nicely (why the phones weren’t overloaded with calls to take this beautiful sweet creature we’ll never know). After we got her though she ‘reconsidered’ and has been _extremely_ aggressive to other dogs ever since; and very formidable, said to have been used for breeding fighters though she probably wasn’t one herself. But perfectly polite and sweet with all humans all her life. But you can manage a dog aggressive dog. The only problems we’ve ever had are with dogs illegally off their leashes which went after her on her leash, bad idea, but even then serious injury was avoided. It’s more questionable IMO to risk having a dog of her strength which shows any hint of aggression toward humans ever. I know trainers believe they can remedy it, but I wouldn’t risk it. ---
**Author:** ![Deanna\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Deanna\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deanna_D)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/24 "2016-08-05T22:53:01Z")
I adopted a dog a few months ago from a local shelter, and asked about their kill policy while I was there. The way I understand it, they really do go out of their way to not euthanize any animal they deem adoptable. They have a good network of private adoption groups, and routinely hand off adoptable pets to non-municipal organizations. They use their own limited space to offer up dogs and cats for adoption, and judging by their website listings, keep them there for as long as it takes. I haven’t seen a dog stay on their adoptable list for very long, so it seems like they have a pretty good success rate. I hope. While I support the idea of a “no-kill” policy, I’ve visited one of the local animal rescue’s shelter numerous times over the years, and have always encountered a dog or two who seems to be extremely unfriendly, and almost threatening. I’m not sure how many dogs with a seemingly aggressive temperament ever get adopted, and I’m not sure if keeping them there indefinitely is really the right thing to do for any animal. Oh, and my new baby is a totally awesome little guy! While I guess I didn’t save his life directly, since he was one of the “adoptable” ones, I figure that by adopting him, I might have given them an extra space in the shelter…so maybe a dog they were on the fence about adopting out was able to take his place in the “adoptable” area. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/25 "2016-08-05T22:56:53Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > A quick death is not the worst thing that can happen to a dog. Or a human, for that matter. Are making a list from people we know? ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/26 "2016-08-05T23:22:42Z")
Spay and neuter early … it’s always healthier for the animal. I come from a more husbandry point of view … one has to cull their stock … it’s what’s best for both species, the domesticator and domesticated. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/27 "2016-08-05T23:38:00Z")
☹ Poor dogs ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/28 "2016-08-06T01:48:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Spay and neuter early … it’s always healthier for the animal. actually, spay and neuter have been proven to cause a lot of serious health problems for dogs. Particularly if done before full maturity. Many people are beginning to believe it is cruel and unethical to spay and neuter immature dogs. By immature, I mean before 3 years of age. It’s quite easy for any responsible owner to keep a dog from accidentally breeding. Not to mention that I personally do not believe that spay neuter have much to do with the reasons why dogs end up in shelters. In Europe, it’s quite rare for dogs to be spayed or neutered, and they don’t have a pet overpopulation problem. What they have is a more realistic attitude towards dogs and more responsible dog owners. The dogs that end up in shelters do so because irresponsible owners discard them. In many parts of the country, puppies, aka the products of excess breeding, almost never end up in shelters. Instead, it’s older dogs, usually adolescents, who had a home until the owner decided to toss the dog like garbage. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/29 "2016-08-06T01:53:59Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > It’s all stemmed from Maddie’s Fund, but started with the directors of the shelters just, you know, talking to each other! CASA - Chicago Area Shelter Alliance. Here’s a link to Maddie’s Fund: [Maddie's Fund](http://www.maddiesfund.org/index.htm) Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/30 "2016-08-06T01:55:13Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > actually, spay and neuter have been proven to cause a lot of serious health problems for dogs. Particularly if done before full maturity. A recent thread linked to a study showing this wasn’t the case. It had been generally accepted in the past but the facts indicate otherwise. I’ll see if I can find that. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/31 "2016-08-06T02:12:01Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > A recent thread linked to a study showing this wasn’t the case. It had been generally accepted in the past but the facts indicate otherwise. I’ll see if I can find that. I didn’t find that thread, but I guess it doesn’t matter because you were given a lot of information by a vet in[this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=789336) and you ignored it. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/32 "2016-08-06T02:44:16Z")
> [@](#): > > because you were given a lot of information by a vet in this thread and you ignored it. I prefer to rely on the actual scientific studies rather than expert opinion. There’s usually a 20-year lag before health professionals actually accept the known evidence and apply it to clinical practice. The scientific studies are quite clear on the matter and more are coming out each year. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/33 "2016-08-06T02:50:51Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > I prefer to rely on the actual scientific studies rather than expert opinion. There’s usually a 20-year lag before health professionals actually accept the known evidence and apply it to clinical practice. The scientific studies are quite clear on the matter and more are coming out each year. Care to link to a few? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/34 "2016-08-06T02:56:37Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > I prefer to rely on the actual scientific studies rather than expert opinion. There’s usually a 20-year lag before health professionals actually accept the known evidence and apply it to clinical practice. The scientific studies are quite clear on the matter and more are coming out each year. There were plenty of links to scientific studies provided there. Your own links were about breed specific issues and you keep ignoring the list of positive effects of spay/neutering even in your own links. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778/35 "2016-08-06T14:47:01Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There was a big problem with a no-kill shelter near here. Not only were they keeping animals forever, they had created ridiculous standard for adoptions that no one could meet. They were an independent enterprise and the town hadn’t ever established anything else. Finally they got shut down on the basis of animal cruelty because the place was so packed with animals. Frankly, I’d like to see requirements for licensing pet owners and having them insured against a failure to care for their animals. But in the event of a problem you can’t keep cats and dogs locked in cages long term. It’s a tragic situation, but the tragedy usually starts well before the animal is sent to the shelter. I could see the place I mentioned going in that direction.☹ The place is run by white, middle aged, retirees who are mostly women. They are suspicious of anyone NOT of their race. I was there one day when a Hispanic male came to the shelter to look for a dog and they followed him around like seclurity at the national mint! They did NOT do that to the young, obviously middle class, white family that came after he left. They don’t like to adopt dogs out to older people, even if the dog is older and not really active. They are also against dogs in apartments. Another thing is how they treat people; if you don’t have four legs and a tail you can be sure it will be a “fun” experience with them. They also despise kids. I’ve watched them yell at people. They yelled at two volunteers, a woman and her elementary age daughter, to stay away from a certain dog. Just what were they doing? The mother was attempting to read the sign posted on a sick dogs cage. The dog was NOT in their quarantine area, it was right out front with the other dogs! And it was a cute puppy, probably the reason they put it there.:smack: They also yelled at me, while I was holding a chihuahua on my lap with a towel since he had the runs, that “That dog has DIARRHEA!” using the same tone of voice reserved for saying someone has Ebola. One of their favorite things was to ignore people. If you were not one of thier favorites, ie: you didn’t donat $$$ or weren’t a retired professional, they ignored you. Worse if you were disabled! I watched them act like a young man with Autism, who was quietly walking a dog with the help of his aide, had the plague and would spread it to them! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-too-long-for-a-dog-to-be-in-a-shelter/761778.md?page=1)