Humane Society of Pinellas


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HUMANE EUTHANASIA POLICY NOVEMBER 2006

We are a "No-Kill" of Adoptable Animals Shelter.

Adoptable is defined as: the animal is in good health and demonstrates behavior that, when provided with their physical and behavioral needs, allows the animal to co-exist in harmony within the human environment. Adoptable animals remain in the shelter until adopted so long as they remain healthy and retain social behaviors conducive to adoption.

We Treat the Treatable and Train the Trainable.

Our medical staff and/or local veterinarians heal our animals with treatable medical conditions including, but not limited to: internal and external parasites, heartworm, ringworm, giardia, coccidia, mange, upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, kennel cough, hernia, and injuries. Treatment is within the confines of our isolation areas, available resources and without unreasonably endangering other animals in our care. Animals that have unacceptable behavior traits are trained by our behavior staff to encourage and achieve improvements to help them become adoptable. We treat for diseases that are transmissible to humans (zoonotic) and transmissible to other animals when the treatment would result in a good prognosis. We treat for injuries and arrange needed surgeries when the veterinarian indicates a good prognosis. We make every effort to help each individual animal have the best chance for adoption.

Humane Euthanasia is performed for medical reasons beyond our control that can not be treated or behavior reasons that pose a safety risk to humans or other animals or if the behavior does not improve with training.

Humane Euthanasia is not performed for sole reasons of space, cost of treatment, length of time at the shelter, age, breed, surrender reasons attributable to the owner or for physical limitations tolerable to the animal.

Volunteers are encouraged and invited to work with our adoptable animals within our Open Paw program to maintain their quality of life while in our shelter awaiting adoption. They are welcome to provide grooming, socialization, play and exercise and to assist in promoting the animals for adoption through our promotional events, offsite adoption programs and through the media. Volunteers will operate within the structure and guidelines of HSP policies and procedures and be provided with orientation and necessary training. Volunteers with special skills and experiences may work with animals under treatment and training prior to adoption placement under the supervision of management.


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