# Shooting feral kittens on site when shelters are full - Best practice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 12, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843 "2013-06-12T19:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/1 "2013-06-12T19:47:21Z")
I had never considered the question before. Re this story what is an animal control office supposed to do if the shelters are full? [SPCA wants humane officer who shot kittens fired](http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/302822/45/SPCA-wants-humane-officer-who-shot-kittens-fired) > [@](#): > > Accorti responded to a home Monday afternoon where a feral mother cat and her five kittens were living in a woodpile. > > He allegedly told the homeowner that shelters were full and that the cats would be going to kitty heaven. He then pulled out his gun and shot to death the five, 8- to 10-week-old kittens. > > Accorti allegedly told the homeowner that he isn’t supposed to do this, but it was justifiable. The woman ran into the house to shield her children who were screaming and crying. > > City officials tell WKYC that they are looking into what the proper protocol is for such a situation. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/2 "2013-06-12T19:50:03Z")
The officer was out of line. Still, is a quick death by bullet so much worse than a quick death by an overdose of pharmaceuticals? The kittens end up losing their lives either way. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/3 "2013-06-12T19:55:08Z")
Shooting an animal on private property when there is no immediate danger??? Especially with kids around??? Yeah, he needs to be fired - and maybe ordered to see psychiatric help. Trap, take to shelter, humanely euthanize. Simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/4 "2013-06-12T20:01:21Z")
The story mentions the kittens being within a woodpile, so it could be that trapping them wasn’t feasible. Euthanizing animals via gunshot on site is not a good idea, at all, but in this case it might be _somewhat_ justifiable, but it’s certainly not a best practice for other cases. The kittens will be dead either way, of course, but killing them in the open with gunshots is upsetting to the homeowner and her children and dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/5 "2013-06-12T20:34:37Z")
If you decided firearms were the best way to handle a pile of kittens, a shotgun would be the right choice. Using a handgun against kittens- on private property, with civilians present- is certainly against policy. So, administrative leave during investigation, leading to termination and criminal charges. Why do animal control officers have sidearms anyway? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/6 "2013-06-12T20:39:30Z")
In rural areas stray cats are routinely shot on sight. Not nice but much better for the envirement. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/7 "2013-06-12T20:52:35Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Why do animal control officers have sidearms anyway? Some animals are not nice. Or you’re in a rural area where large animals may have to be put down. In some jurisdictions, animal control officers are sworn police officers. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/8 "2013-06-12T20:56:32Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > If you decided firearms were the best way to handle a pile of kittens, a shotgun would be the right choice. I would go with a 40 mm grenade launcher myself. Seriously, I could shoot many animals, but cute little mewing kittens would be tough. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/9 "2013-06-12T21:12:03Z")
Generally, when the pound is full they don’t euthanize the cute kitties that have just come in first. They look at which animals have been their the longest and are the least likely to be adopted. They certainly don’t play Dirty Harry on a bunch of kittens. And if they are in a woodpile, you get out the Hav-a-hart trap and trap them using smelly food. Guy needs to lose his job and possibly be prosecuted for animal cruelty and/or weapons violations. Will he decide that there are too many kids on welfare next? StG ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/10 "2013-06-12T22:36:24Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Generally, when the pound is full they don’t euthanize the cute kitties that have just come in first. They look at which animals have been their the longest and are the least likely to be adopted. They certainly don’t play Dirty Harry on a bunch of kittens. And if they are in a woodpile, you get out the Hav-a-hart trap and trap them using smelly food. Guy needs to lose his job and possibly be prosecuted for animal cruelty and/or weapons violations. Will he decide that there are too many kids on welfare next? > > StG Out of curiosity are feral animals routinely placed? Are they adoptable? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/11 "2013-06-12T22:41:14Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > They certainly don’t play Dirty Harry on a bunch of kittens. Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, puss? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/12 "2013-06-12T22:58:15Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Out of curiosity are feral animals routinely placed? Are they adoptable? I would think 8 to 10 week old kittens would be adoptable. How much younger are they adopted out when they aren’t feral? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/13 "2013-06-12T23:08:02Z")
Even if, ahem, informal euthanasia were the correct choice, you don’t do it in front of children. At least tell them you’ll “take care of them” or something, and then get out of earshot first. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/14 "2013-06-12T23:14:32Z")
I cannot imagine that there are any circumstances in which pulling out your sidearm and firing into a woodpile at a bunch of kittens is acceptable. Our officers would have delivered a trap like the one **StGermain** mentioned if he couldn’t get the kittens out himself. Feral kittens are adopted out of our shelter if they meet temperment tests. Twelve weeks is about as young as they will adopt any kitten or puppy out. Until then they are fostered or kept at the shelter if possible. If not, sadly, euthanasia. > [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Why do animal control officers have sidearms anyway? Ours don’t, but they do wear bullet proof vests when going out to residences to check on complaints. One of our county officers was shot and killed approaching a properly last fall. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/15 "2013-06-13T00:32:08Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Some animals are not nice. Or you’re in a rural area where large animals may have to be put down. > > In some jurisdictions, animal control officers are sworn police officers. This. There was a popular show on Animal Planet called “Animal Precinct” which followed ASPCA agents in New York City. The officers are sworn police officers with full investigative powers and power of arrest. They are often called in to investigate illegal dogfighting or cockfighting rings where there are liable to be armed and angry men in the area. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/16 "2013-06-13T01:54:27Z")
And sometimes they have to subdue some rough, tough 2lb kittens. StG ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/17 "2013-06-13T02:28:36Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Out of curiosity are feral animals routinely placed? Are they adoptable? My understanding with kittens is that younger than six weeks almost automatically tame\*, often in a few days ( or less - I just helped trap five ~6 week old kittens out of my backyard and they went from spitting and hissing to handle-able in about three days ). Six - eight weeks is only a little harder. Eight-twelve weeks is increasingly labor intensive but manageable. Past twelve weeks old it is still possible, but now starts becoming time prohibitive unless you have long-term volunteers really willing to dedicate themselves. Even some adults can be at least semi-tamed, but it might actually take a year if it is possible at all, making it mostly more trouble than most organizations wants to spend resources on. Four-eight weeks is generally considered the optimum taming window, which I think is about the standard start-finish age for weaning. - There are always exceptions. Ferals that _never_ tame at any age and friendly adult ferals that will become happy house-cats with hardly any effort at all. But those are outliers. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/18 "2013-06-13T03:31:59Z")
Am I the only one who sees no problem with just leaving feral cats alone and letting them live out their lives as wild animals? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/19 "2013-06-13T03:37:55Z")
> [@heathen\_earthling](#): > > Am I the only one who sees no problem with just leaving feral cats alone and letting them live out their lives as wild animals? Not as long as you don’t mind fleas in your house, the corpses of dead critters in your yard, and the aroma of cat feces. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843/20 "2013-06-13T03:40:44Z")
The kittens (or the fawns, or the piglets, or the pups) are the last ones you want to shoot. If you want to preserve a herd, shoot only mature males. If you want to decimate it, shoot the adolescent and mature females. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shooting-feral-kittens-on-site-when-shelters-are-full-best-practice/660843.md?page=2)