Should Florida ban kill shelters for animals?

Filled with felines and man’s best friend, we have animal shelters all around Florida. Some put animals down, while others are “no-kill.”

“I really don’t like kill shelters and it just breaks my heart,” said dog owner Tiffany Modica.

But what would it look like if Florida follows suit with Delaware, becoming a “no-kill” shelter state?

“I would never say never,” said Communications Coordinator at Gulf Coast Humane Society Brian Wierima.

To be deemed “no-kill,” Florida must achieve at least a 90% save rate for cats and dogs entering the shelter. But dog owner Jerrold McFarland has concerns from an economic standpoint.

“If the whole state goes that way, you’ll end up having funding from taxes,” he said.

Modica found her furry friend Friday at the Gulf Coast Humane Society, a no-kill shelter.

“I do agree there’s pros and cons,” she said, “but I’m definitely a ‘no’ for kill shelter.”

When the cages get full there, they rely on fostering, but they’d also like pet owners to take more responsibility.

Wierima says whether Florida becomes a no-kill state or not, more people need to spay and neuter their pets.

“It’s an unfortunate result of pet overpopulation. It can’t be cured, but it can be helped with spay-neutering your pets,” he said, and finding them forever homes.

The Humane Society of the United States says, “The goal should be ensuring positive outcomes for all shelter animals without neglecting essential quality of life considerations for individual animals.”