HRA has instituted new policies that promote an inconsistent and increasing use of euthanasia, often for minor or manageable issues.

Inadequate Interventions:

Euthanasia should be pursued as the last option, after all other avenues are exhausted. Yet, HRA does not follow this guideline. Rather than investing in robust behavioral treatment programs and improving living conditions for dogs, HRA euthanizes dogs for a wide range of reasons, including for merely displaying fearful behavior such as staring, barking while in kennel, pulling on the leash without a bite incident. At times, dogs have had experienced fosters ready to allow them to decompress and remove them from the stress of the kennel environment, but HRA has moved forward with euthanasia for manageable behaviors anyway. 

Princess (aka Flurry). Killed on 1/6/24 just for growling
Sand Dune. Killed on 1/4/24 despite not having any major incidents

Transparency Concerns:

For dogs and cats, HRA’s euthanasia protocols are shrouded in secrecy. HRA leadership have refused to share their decisionmaking standards, and inexplicably, euthanasias often happen in sprees, including the over 30 dogs they euthanized in less than two months at the beginning of 2024. 

Creating Problems:

Predictably, animals housed in cramped conditions with inadequate out-of-kennel time to release pent-up energy and with scant human interaction develop behavioral problems that, in turn, make them difficult to adopt. HRA then kills these dogs for the stress their conditions created, instead of investing in measures that would prevent these behavioral issues from occuring in the first place.

Recommendations

  • HRA must develop a clear, detailed, and public euthanasia policy, which includes robust documentation and requirements that all avenues be exhausted prior to euthanasia.  

  • HRA must publicly identify struggling dogs with pleas for experienced fosters and/or rescue placement to remove the kennel environment stressor ASAP.  

  • HRA must provide proper care to dogs and implement in-shelter stress reduction measures to prevent behavioral issues from arising.

  • HRA must require the behavior team to work daily with all at-risk dogs in the shelter and ensure the behavioral care program is aligned with recognized animal welfare best practice, including FearFree Shelters.