FAQ

The Spokane Humane Society is a "limited-admission" shelter, what does that mean?
“Limited Admission” means that we will take in only those animals we know we have the capacity to humanely care for. We do not euthanize unless it is the humane course of care, due to disease, illness, injury or extreme temperament.  We are a 501c3 not-for-profit; we are under no contractual obligations to take in animals from anyone. Because of these changes, the Spokane Humane Society has not euthanized a healthy adoptable animal since 2006.

By mandate of the Spokane Humane Society’s board of directors in January 2006 the SHS stopped euthanizing animals due to lack of space. Limited resources and available kennels made it impossible to continue to accept unlimited animals, and made it necessary to work with our community partners in animal control and breed specific rescue evolving to our current day “Reservation Required” shelter.
The goal to no longer euthanize for space was first proposed in 2005 as a part of a comprehensive five-year plan designed to take the SHS into the 21st century as a state-of-the-art, cutting-edge animal shelter while remaining more intensely focused on its core mission, to improve the welfare of companion animals.

As a part of this policy change, strays are referred to their appropriate animal control facility and are transferred back based upon the needs of the animals/partner agencies and our space available. In 2008, we transferred out 362 strays but accepted 952; animals that were out of time and scheduled to be euthanized…the animal control facility needed the space. Owner surrendered animals are accepted by reservation only and will be temperament tested prior to admission and are also based on available space on a first come, first served basis. Reservations for owner turn-ins are available seven days a week but are limited to three appointments per day.

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Does the Society keep all the animals until they get homes?
No, we keep the animals in our care as long as they remain healthy both mentally and physically, there are no specific time limits and we do strive to place our animals in twenty days or less. We consider physical and mental health; quality of life is paramount. We do not believe that indefinite cage confinement or indiscriminate placement is in the best interest of our companion animal friends. We work hard to avoid euthanasia, and our work pays off. In 2008, we had a placement rate of 96%.

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What can the Society do to be able to stop euthanizing animals?
We believe that by working with coalition partners in our community and throughout the region we can dramatically reduce and, hopefully, eliminate the euthanasia of healthy and treatable/rehabilitatable animals. Our current strategic plan calls for us to reach 100 percent placement of healthy and treatable dogs in 2009 and cats in 2010. However, we do believe that there are some animals, especially the unhealthy and untreatable, for whom euthanasia is the most humane option. Some of these animals are suffering, and others pose a danger to other animals or people.

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What is the Society doing to improve placement of healthy and treatable/rehabilitatable dogs and cats?

• We are looking at ways to reduce intake in the first place by stepping up efforts to promote spaying and neutering through cooperative programs like MASH (Mobile Animal Spay) with our ASPCA Mission Orange partners, SCRAPS, Spokanimal and Pet Savers
• Encouraging life-long, responsible pet ownership through expanded public awareness and humane education programs and working with coalition partners to promote responsible pet ownership.
• Working with the media to increase public awareness and the number of pet placements.
• Involving ourselves proactively in humane issues through legislative processes

Affiliates

The Spokane Humane Society operates independently of all other animal organizations and humane societies. While we are not affiliated or funded by any local or national humane organizations we work closely with them to provide consistency of messaging as it relates to the compassionate care of companion animals, bite prevention and the need to reduce the number of unwanted animals through spay and neuter programs. A recent partnership with the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals selected Spokane, Washington as one of 5 communities across the United States with a goal to improve save rates, prevent animal cruelty and create a model humane community. The ASPCA has pledged to support Spokane, Washington animal welfare by infusing $300,000 to develop the programs and resources that will be most effective in helping that specific community reach its goals. The Spokane Humane Society portion of funds have been used for board development and strategic planning work, Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality™ and Feline-ality™ programs and a variety of other staff training opportunities. The common goal is to increase the community shelter adoption rate by at least 10 percent by the end of 2007, and a 75 percent ‘save rate’ for the community shelter partners by 2010.

With our primary focus to provided loving care, comfortable shelter, healthful food and water and necessary veterinary care to animals in need,  we rely heavily on area businesses for volunteers, financial support and help in getting the word out about our organizations mission, vision and values Local media outlets put our critters in front of their readers, viewers and listeners helping to place hundreds of animals every year, helping to educate the public on responsible pet care and helping us to raise the funds necessary to care for critters.  Collaborations make miracles happen!

Difficult Decisions

We sincerely wish that every animal that comes to us could be adopted to a caring, responsible home. The reality is that the number of unwanted animals Spokane generates, greatly exceeds - by thousands - the number of homes available. The decision of which animals are placed in our adoption program or cared for in the foster care program depends upon the age, health and temperament of the animals as well as our ability to provide them care that would make them good adoption candidates.

Since 2002, the society has tracked the outcomes of all animals in our care and has help to ensure uniform reporting by all Spokane area animal control and welfare organizations. This coalition has incorporating nationally accepted definitions/categories as defined by the Asilomar Accords and are used by humane organizations across the United States. Animals are grouped into three categories:  Healthy, Treatable and Unhealthy/Untreatable.

Healthy - The term "healthy" means and includes all dogs and cats eight weeks of age or older that, at the time the animal is taken into possession, have manifested no sign of a behavioral characteristic that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet and have shown no sign of a medical condition that would adversely affect their heath.

Treatable - The term "treatable" means and includes all dogs and cats that are "rehabilitatable" and all dogs and cats that are "manageable."
Rehabilitatable: The term "rehabilitatable" means and includes all dogs and cats who are not "healthy," but who are likely to become "healthy," if given medical, foster, behavioral or other care. With this care, these animals may be candidates for adoption.
Manageable: The term "manageable" means and includes all dogs and cats who are not "healthy" and who are not likely to become "healthy," regardless of the care provided; but who would likely maintain a satisfactory quality of life, if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care, including long-term care. With such care, these animals may be candidates for adoption.

Unhealthy and Untreatable - The term "unhealthy and untreatable" means and includes all dogs and cats who have a behavioral or temperamental characteristic that poses a health or safety risk or otherwise makes the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and are not likely to become "healthy" or "treatable". It also includes animals that are suffering from a medical condition that adversely affects the animal's health. Brittle animals under the age of eight weeks are placing into foster care giving them a better chance at survival.