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Loading...Shelter Revolution: Homeless Pets Never Have To Be Euthanized (Video)
Animal activist Randy, known only by his first name for the safety of himself and his family, and a handful of others are in the middle of a battle to save every homeless cat and dog in the U.S. Their fight is unique because they are saving pets from the U.S. animal shelter system which they say is broken beyond repair. Randy is calling for a Shelter Revolution.
The Shelter Revolution movement says, “Current municipal animal shelters are prisons that breed anxiety, depression and aggression in homeless pets.” Dogs are forced to live in isolation or in crowded conditions in cages where they smell the scent of death every day. Animals are warehoused until they are euthanized. The purpose of the current system is to control strays from roaming on the streets. It is not a system that can be reformed; it must be completely restructured.
Shelter Revolution sees a clear solution in a model that is based on human day care centers and dog day care centers. The Adoption Center concept allows animals to live in a natural communal setting.
Randy said, “Research shows these settings promote calm, balanced pets that are more easily adopted.”
Separated by size and personality, animals live in a dorm-like setting with an outside play area for socializing and exercise. Randy said, “Killing is not an option. Rehab and rehoming animals is the goal.”
If you think this sounds like a pipedream, Shelter Revolution offers more than a dozen privately owned shelters and sanctuaries where the concept is already working.
The Cat House on the Kings is a sanctuary outside of Fresno CA, run by Lynea Lattanzio. It is a no-kill, cage free facility with an amazing 800 felines and 50 dogs. Lynea’s philosophy about the rescued cats that wander on her property is, “If they don’t have a home, at least they have a life.”
Make no mistake, Shelter Revolution does not promote animal hoarding. Their plan includes a medical center for sick animals, a quarantine area for new arrivals, spay and neuter, and rehabilitation. The model relies heavily on volunteers to socialize and train the pets so they can be adopted. Randy believes animal rescue groups that spend much of their time now rescuing strays, will flock to Adoption Centers to help rehabilitate homeless pets.
Cost to start an Adoption Center is estimated at $1.3 million. Shelter Revolution says current animal shelters are far more expensive. Their website gives many details about starting a Shelter Revolution in a community.
A Note To Shelter Leaders from Shelter Revolution founder Thomas Cole:
“For 100 years the shelter industry has imprisoned social animals in prison cages. It’s time shelter directors realize that the facility itself can play a central role in promoting adoptions. It is time to move beyond this plateau and create a new model.
Dogs and cats have committed no crimes.
Shelter directors, boards of directors and municipal officers, you have the power to enact these changes.”
Animal Sanctuaries With Communal Living:
Spirit Animal Sanctuary -New York
Cat House on the Kings- California
Heart and Soul Sanctuary- New Mexico
Olympic Animal Sanctuary -Washington
Second Chance At Love Humane Society
FOUND -Chicago
Related Stories:
Death Of 6 Kittens Brings Community Together
One Step Closer To Protection For Animals In Rhode Island Courts
Read more: animal rescue, animal rights, animal shelters, animal welfare, ending euthanasia, homeless pets, pet overpopulation, Shelter Revolution
Photo Credit: WoodyH1
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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Recent Comments from Causes
Thanks Abigail for the sharing Trio's story and great photos.
Great article fascinating place to live, amazing people.
If Science is Evil, then I am Paragon of Vile Darkness, and proud of it. I'll take "Evil Genius" over…
243 comments
+ add your ownThis sounded soo wonderful, until I saw SPINDLETOP listed on your refuge sources!!!! PLEASE ... haven't you heard?
I despise my local shelter. They say they are "no kill" and advertise it all the time. They send animals to another county and pay them to do it. What a fraud
So glad some people have healthy and good ideas! Should they never kill an animal, if not necessary for eating!Just leave them alone or help them, not kill!
AWESOME idea. awesome video. I love it
THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA AND NEEDS TO TOLD TO THE GOVERMENT!! THEY STARTED THIS DOG BREEDING/OVER POPULATION BUSINESS. THEY NEED TO END IT!!!! THIS NEEDS TO PUT STARTED A.S.A.P!!!!! COME ON PEOPLE-LET'S ALL GET TOGETHER AND JUST DO IT!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.....THERE IS WAY TO MUCH SUFFERING GOING ON WITH THESE POOR DOG'S AND CAT'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish there would be Shelter Revolution all over this cruel world, oh my that video was great they seem so happy and well cared I love the idea , I hope they do that all over. God Bless Randy fo this
We will begin to take the so-called no-kill movement more seriously when someone produces a list of acceptable & safe adoptive homes for the BAZILLION Pits and Pit mixes and Chows and unpopular senior mixes and giant black unadoptables and cats of all description languishing in animal hell-holes like Trenton and Memphis and Deetroit and Philly & Loosiana and Texas and South LA.
Until that list materializes, we will equate the no-kill movement with a belief in fairies...
Randy, i'm with you 100% -- and there are many individuals who agree with your view -- the purpose of sheltering animals is to make them and keep them happy and comfortable and ready for adoption -- these sanctuaries that you mention are perfect for our animals who are looking for homes and while they're looking, at least they have a wonderful sanctuary, with great people and other animals, they can call home. This is placing the priorities in the correct order -- the animals' interests come first! They do NOT want to die, they do NOT want to be murdered, they do NOT want to be euthanized, they do NOT want to be stuffed in a corner in unconscionable and cruel misery until someone rescues them or until their intentional yet needless murder arrives -- how anyone could do this to animals is beyond me -- but these kind of people should NOT be working with animals in any form whatsoever -- this kind of paradigm is based on INSANITY! Randy's philosophy on restructuring and placing heavy emphasis on the care of animals IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO! IT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO! IT IS THE MORAL WAY TO GO!
Granny T. not only to fund spay & neuter clinics, but to fund permanent no-kill sanctuaries with such sanctuaries gladly housing unadoptable animals but keep trying to make them adoptable again for dogs/cats to live out their lives naturally and end killer shelters totally... One thing I have discovered about kill facilities, they seem to gravitate to calling dogs marked for killing of certain breeds they want to ban or who insurance companies say are dangerous dogs. There is no proof to make their slander true & whatever is in vogue to kill will be marked a dangerous dog. That is like saying, "the Japanese attacked us in 1941, so every person of Japanese heritage is dangerous". This is wrong!
Citizens must DEMAND that all funding used to euthanize animals be REDIRECTED toward free spay and neuter for those who will give loving homes to rescue animals but who can't afford the expense. It's so simple: ADDRESS THE CAUSES, NOT THE SYMPTOMS. Bless those who came up with this wonderful concept. Only a few permits should be given for those responsible breeders to keep various pet species from vanishing.
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