The Franklin County Dog Shelter has a wonderful facility paid for by taxpayers, but it is NOT being used effectively to save dogs. A few points:

• -Last year, the shelter euthanized approximately THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED dogs.
• -Today, just over half of the spaces in the shelter are empty, but dogs in good health are euthanized every day.
• -The shelter practices breed discrimination with a "10 pitbulls/pit mixes on the adoption floor" limit--so the dog in this video--who passed all behavior tests--faces euthanasia unless an outside rescue group finds a foster or home for him. EVEN THOUGH the shelter is less than half full!

I am appalled by the number of dogs that FCDS euthanizes, as well as the breed limit on pitbulls/pitbull mixes. A dog's perceived breed or breed mix does not determine their adoptability. Please remove the pitbull/pitbull mix limit at FCDS.

Additionally, I urge you to revise the "pass/fail" behavior tests administered at FCDS. Dogs who have come in starving or otherwise stressed cannot be fairly assessed with a one-time behavior assessment, for example:

• -The "food test." A dog is given food, the food is grabbed away, and the dog's reaction is recorded. If the dog growls or reacts when the food is grabbed, the dog fails the test. Even if they have been starving prior to ending up at FCDS!
• -Dogs who fail any portion of the one-time-only behavior test have only one way out of the shelter alive--in the hands of a rescue organization.

Our county can do better than this. Dogs are not themselves in the shelter environment--many of our own pets would fail the behavior tests under shelter conditions. Give stressed dogs a chance. Expanding your foster program with highly trained fosters would be one way to offer dogs who are not ready for the adoption floor a chance to learn to be family pets.

Finally, please make sure that FCDS has a veterinarian that is acting in dogs' best interest, making accurate diagnoses and supporting the animals' health needs. Many misdiagnoses have landed in rescue groups' hands from FCDS. I urge you to investigate.

Franklin County residents want to be proud of the FCDS. But despite the wonderful facility and many wonderful and caring staff members, current policies and procedures lead FCDS to euthanize FAR too many animals. Please work with outside experts, rescue groups, and dedicated shelter staff to revise policies and procedures for the benefit of the many wonderful dogs who will face death at the shelter under the current system. Thank you.