Glimpse
University Daily Kansan / Friday, April 28, 1989
21
Roxana Whitehead, left, and Brenda Gonzales, workers at the some dangerous dogs before their final visit to the veterinarian Helina Humbus Humean Society in Topeka, have to tranquilize so the dogs won't harm anyone during the fatal injection.
Between 80 and 150 animals are put to sleep in a week.
Death row Adoption preferred
Photos by Phil Carvalho Story by Alan Morgan
10PERA - Behind bars in the cell, the mother nurses her newborn babies. The newborns' eyes have not yet opened. You will explain the rule.
All animals born within the confines of the Helping Hands Humane Society must be put to sleep immediately after birth. It's a rule that improves the mother's chances of being adopted, but if the mother is not adopted within two weeks, she also will be put to death.
But for Aurora McCaig, executive director of the shelter, some rules under some circumstances are more appropriate.
"We hold the animals for up to two weeks, but if we're not overcrowded we may hold them longer." McCaig said. "Lots of times we've been known to take a nice-looking dog out to the garage for the wet to put him to bed, and then give it to a nice-too nice of a dog, give him some more time."
"Invariably, someone will stop by that day and adopt the dog."
Too often, however, that is not the scenario. McCaig said, Last year of 4,761 doctors
that entered the shelter, 2.672 had to be killed.
For cats, chances of adoption are even slimmer. Only 559 cats found home. That left 15.457 cats that had to be put to sleep last year.
McCaig said the Topeka animal shelter places 48 to 50 percent of its animals, 38 to 40 percent more than the animal shelter placement national average.
"I wish we could place 100 percent of our animals" McCaign said. "The reason we are able to place more than the national average because we actively try to place our animals."
McCag said that they would give the animals all of their required shots, and that they would also be allowed to play.
Marcia Gilleman, one of McCain's assistants, said that taking the animals out for a walk was part of their routine.
"It's not always easy. I just wish there was a good home for them." Gillman said "I know that I wouldn't be able to give them a good home since I already have a pet." He added, "She shiled and gave the pets a home that really needs a home instead of going to a pet store."
The drug T-61, which takes effect in seconds, is injected into the bloodstream of an animal.
Lisa Elliot, a worker at the shelter, loads an animal into a garbage bag for removal.
Royana Whitehead oils the dead animals in the corner, awaiting the Topeka disposal department to transport them to the landfill