"Every year, approximately 4 million companion animals are euthanized in US animal shelters."

They die because they lived in a community in which there are more people that drop off animals at shelters than those who adopt animals at shelters, creating an overwhelming surplus of homeless animals. They were not euthanized because shelter staff did not care for them and love them, they were euthanized because the community members outside the walls of the shelter continue to overbreed animals, either intentionally, by accident or neglect, despite the surplus of homeless cats and dogs desperately in need of adoption.

Many of the animals died because the humans who owned them did not make or carry out a commitment to keep them for their lifetimes, but rather made a choice to let a shelter take responsibility for their animal.

These animals died in the arms of strangers, not in the arms of family loved ones. They deserve to be honored. They deserve our love. And they deserve the attention and energy of every animal lover to stop this tragedy.

Visit and stay awhile in the serenity of this star-filled memorial... let yourself transcend the sadness and begin to feel the peace that love can bring. Let your heart fill with love. Allow love and peace to flow through you. Let yourself feel the love become so strong that you know that strength can solve this problem. As you gaze at the stars and let the music wash through you, you may also want to:

... pay your respects to all the animals who have died in shelters
... say a prayer for them
... send them your love
... send your love to the shelter workers who care for the homeless animals of your community
... say a prayer that all members of your community with animals take the simple steps to prevent further euthanasia by acquiring all their companion animals through rescue or adoption (saving a life), by spaying and neutering all their animals (saving many lives) and by keeping the animals they have for their natural lifetime.
... make a commitment to take these steps yourself.
Visualize all companion animals living in safe, loving homes.
"May all beings be free from suffering
May all beings be at peace"

~ Sufi blessing

Stopping the Tragedy of Shelter Euthanasia

Would you like to do something to stop the death of shelter animals and to see every animal out of a cage and into a home? You can. There are practical steps that every individual who loves and lives with animals can take to resolve the problem.

The tragedy of masses of animals being euthanized in shelters across the United States is a deeply disturbing and challenging problem, emotionally and morally, for all of us who love animals. It is a complex problem in which the symptoms are often erroneously labeled the problem and one in which the caregivers have often mislabeled the culprits. Even as a lifelong animal lover, for many years I was not aware that the United States has a companion animal overpopulation epidemic and that millions of unwanted animals die in shelters every year. 

Stopping the Tragedy of Shelter Euthanasia

Be Part of the Solution
If you love animals and want to end the euthanasia of animals in shelters, you can be a powerful part of the solution.
Together, we can end euthanasia by doing the following four things:

 1. Acquire our companion animals through rescue and adoption:
Save a life!
Boycott pet shops and breeders until there are enough homes for every homeless animal. We will help reduce overpopulation rather than contribute to it.
Any breed, any species we are looking for can be found through rescue!

2. Choose animals well matched to our lifestyle so we are likely to enjoy a long harmonious life together!

When we choose wisely, we increase the chances of a lifetime of compatibility and love. Prevent stress and potential heartbreak!

3. Spay and neuter all our animal companions:
Save many lives!
Facts and information on spaying and neutering and low-cost resources.

4. Make a commitment to keep our animals for their lifetime: 
Prevent heartbreak and euthanasia!
All animals, and certainly those who bring us so much love as companions and family members, 
deserve to be treated by us as we would want to be treated ourselves.
Resources to help us keep our pets in times of stress and change:
- Training and Behavior Issues

- Finding Housing that Accepts Pets

- Help with Medical Bills

- Relief from Allergies to Animals

- Herbal Remedy for Relief from Allergies to Animals

- Connect with your Animal Directly to Uncover Root Causes & Resolve Problems

How to Select the Right Forever Pet for You

Many resources are available to help us keep our animals in times of stress, crisis and change, or to make plans for a new, loving, appropriate home for them. Animals are not disposable toys, status symbols or utilitarian objects to be traded in for the next model, to be set aside as no longer important when a new boyfriend, spouse, partner, baby, or the next new animal arrives. They are more than pieces of furniture to be left behind or casually given away when it's inconvenient to find a new home where they are allowed. Animals are living, breathing, feeling souls who share the earth with us. In my conversation with animals, it is heartbreakingly clear that they experience the same grief, confusion, sorrow, and trauma that humans do when they are abandoned, given away, sold, or traded in for a newer, younger, perhaps more perfectly conformed or higher performing model.

For every single animal euthanized in a shelter, there is a person OUTSIDE of that shelter responsible for it. The responsibility to keep shelters from euthanizing animals lies with each of us as pet owners. If we adopt through rescue, choose a good match, spay and neuter, and keep our animals for their lifetimes, the shelters will be near empty, not overfull, and euthanasia can become a tragedy of the past.

Remember, rescue and shelter workers and administrators cannot make this happen on their own, BUT WE CAN, SIMPLY BY MAKING THE FOUR CHOICES OUTLINED ABOVE. Together, we can end the euthanasia of healthy animals.