Drowning of kittens a wakeup call

To the editor,

The alleged drowning of a litter of kittens by an Aldershot, N.S., man should be a wake-up call to animal shelters to never turn animals away or erect impediments to surrendering unwanted animals, including fees, limited intake hours, waiting lists, and outright refusal to accept animals deemed “unadoptable,” including cats.

When shelters refuse to accept animals, they give people no choice but to take matters into their own hands. This sets animals up to be cruelly killed by their owners or to be abandoned and to subsequently die from car strikes, diseases, infections, parasites, exposure, and attacks by predators and cruel people.

Turn-away shelters also endanger animals with lax screening policies that enable cruel and irresponsible people to obtain animals and subject them to both intentional and unintentional neglect and abuse.

If shelters really care about saving animals – not just making their euthanasia numbers look good – they must admit all animals, no waiting lists, no surrender fees, and no excuses.

Cats and dogs are more than numbers on a balance sheet: They are vulnerable beings who deserve and need our protection.

Teresa Chagrin

Animal Care and Control Specialist People for the Ethical

Treatment of Animals (PETA) Norfolk, VA