How About We Just Stop Killing Dogs?

I should not have been "killed" anyways

Florence city Animal Control in Florence Alabama kills healthy, adoptable companion dogs with the gas chamber. Earlier this month, one of those dogs did not die and thus magically became "special" and a poster-child for the wrong campaign. His name is Daniel and his picture is above. He was rescued by Eleventh Hour Rescue in New Jersey, which is wonderful as he deserves permanent placement.

The wrong campaign is that we should stop using gas chambers. In case you think this is a post in support of gas chambers, please rest easy - I think they are an archaic method of killing multiple animals and should be banned.

The right message is that Daniel does not belong dead, no matter the method. It is easy to fight against less cruel methods of killing dogs and cats in this country. But it is a red herring, and it detracts from the real campaign - the one that involves the immediate cessation of killing healthy dogs and cats.

Yes, when absolutely necessary, when ending the suffering of another living being, choose the kindest method possible. But no, this rule does not apply to the majority of dogs killed in the United States. They are not near-death. They are not suffering. Most of them are healthy and, by any meaningful standards, adoptable.

Daniel did not change in behavior or health when he emerged from that gas chamber. If he is adoptable after a purely coincidental - not miraculous - biological quirk that allowed him to survive, then he was adoptable when he and several other dogs were shoved into that death machine.

We can do better than this and perhaps this will inspire people in Florence to champion change. It only takes a few dedicated, outspoken activists to foment real, meaningful change in Florence. Dogs like Daniel deserve it!