Dog Town Canine Rescue
Shelter Dogs Memorial
Every year, approximately 6.9 million companion animals are put to death in US animal shelters. We don't like to use the term "euthanized" because "euthanisia" literally means "good death". We would use that term when referring to putting an elderly, terminally ill dog out of its misery. Killing young, healhty, adoptable dogs is not a "good death". So you're not going to find us sugar-coating things here.
They died because they lived in a community in which there are more people that drop off animals at shelters than those who adopt animals at shelters, creating an overwhelming surplus of homeless animals. They were not killed because shelter staff did not care for them and love them, they were destroyed because the community members outside the walls of the shelter continue to overbreed animals, either intentionally, by accident or neglect, despite the surplus of homeless cats and dogs desperately in need of adoption.
Many of the animals died because the humans who owned them did not make or carry out a commitment to keep them for their lifetimes, but rather made a choice to let a shelter take responsibility for their animal.
These animals died in the arms of strangers, not in the arms of family loved ones. They deserve to be honored. They deserve our love. And they deserve the attention and energy of every animal lover to stop this tragedy.
Visit and stay awhile in the serenity of this memorial... let yourself transcend the sadness and begin to feel the peace that love can bring. Let your heart fill with love. Allow love and peace to flow through you. Let yourself feel the love become so strong that you know that strength can solve this problem. As you gaze at the stars and let the music wash through you, you may also want to:
... pay your respects to all the animals who have died in shelters
... say a prayer for them
... send them your love
... send your love to the shelter workers who care for the homeless animals of your community
... say a prayer that all members of your community with animals take the simple steps to prevent further destruction of innocent life by acquiring all their companion animals through rescue or adoption (saving a life), by spaying and neutering all their animals (saving many lives) and by keeping the animals they have for their natural lifetime.
... make a commitment to take these steps yourself.
May all beings be free from suffering
May all beings be at peace
~ Sufi blessing
In December 1999, filmmaker Cynthia Wade, interested in making a film about ethics, approached shelter owner Sue Sternberg and asked if she could document the events at Sue's facility. Sternberg not only offered unrestricted access to everything that happened at the shelter, but she also entrusted Wade with complete editorial control over the project.
For more than two years, Wade filmed pet surrenders, staff meetings, temperament tests, adoptions and euthanasias. The film took approximately eight months to edit and was completed
in February 2003.
Click here to learn more about this project and subsequent film release.
