Which area of the UK has the worst...

[Ela]

Woodgreen Animal Shelter will put a cat down if it has health problems that can not be medically treated or  shows behavioural issues that cannot be resolved

I think that most behavioural problems can be resolved with time and patience, we in Cats Protection consider no cat un-homeable. Finding the right home is  often an issue but we do get there in the end.

[Ela]

also think sadly for some, it's a lottery whether they live or die........the youngsters will have more of a chance of being saved but I know of young kittens etc that have been euthanised because there is no room for them......this is a sad fact

I agree and if people had their cats neutered and spayed  there would be less kittens and then maybe a cat that would have been PTS would be given a chance of life.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Just slightly off topic - Forever, your OH would be best altering his direct debit if it goes to RSPCA HQ - you are better off specifying a certain branch, as it then goes directly to them, it might not get down to branch level if given to HQ

[Ela]

Would that include the Cat's Protection?

I can only speak for my branch and that is no we would never authorise a healthy cat to be PTS the only cats who are PTS are very ill and suffering. As far as I know this is true with other Branches of CP. I know some folks will say CP put this to sleep and that but in all honesty unless you were actually involved with that cat you may not know the full story or what exactly was wrong with the cat. I have never known a CP branch not fight tooth and nail to save a little one no matter what the cost.

I expected farm people and all those that don't know any better to kill kittens rather than getting cats

In this day and age and with the better education I think there is no excuse. When I challenged a farmers wife she said OH! it OK if I don't see the kittens with their eyes open, but we can't do it once their eyes are opened. Fortunately I did managed to persuade the farmer to get all his cats 'done'. There is no excuse as CP will pay for a whole colony no matter how many to be neutered and spayed.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

Sadly healthy animals are put to sleep because there are far too many and nowhere for them to go    I personally don't put any healthy animals to sleep, I have had them pts through health problems where nothing else can be done for them, I do my best to get them sorted but sometimes this isn't always possible.

If people got their pets spayed and neutered, the problem wouldn't be half as bad as it is and rescues wouldn't be overflowing to the brim.  I also think sadly for some, it's a lottery whether they live or die........the youngsters will have more of a chance of being saved but I know of young kittens etc that have been euthanised because there is no room for them......this is a sad fact of life 

Area wise, I think most are pretty much the same.......there is a problem everywhere 

[ronandcats]

I have only had six cats PTS in the five years i have been working with my own pens and that was through really bad health problems where nothing more could be done for them, but i have saved quite a few that the vet has told me that the best thing to do is have it put PTS and i have always pulled them back to good health. one only lives across the road from me her name is Rosie and she is now 13yrs old and still going strong.

[Littlebobo]

Woodgreen Animal Shelter will put a cat down if it has health problems that can not be medically treated or cured or it shows behavioural issues that cannot be resolved they do try to help the cat as much as they can though !

Sadly you begin to realise no matter what you do you can not save them all

[Ruba]

...they suck on his fur and wash his ears for them and sometimes we find one of them asleep on his back lol
sorry but dont think any animals should b pts unless they are very ill and are in pain and suffering

I agree with you 100%.  How can any dog be well behaved while being kept in a cage for over a year is beyond me, of course as soon as he's given a chance he will prove his true self, like yours did (what an angel! I'd love to keep a dog, maybe one day I'll have the space)

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

my oh gives 3pound a month to the rspca via direct debit

i think the cpl and dogs trust do a much better job to b honest

[ccmacey]

  15 months is a long time for the RSPCA to keep an animal. And they also have the cheek to knock on your door and ask for donations, you wouldnt see the CP or another rescue doing this.

I have to say german shepards are the most softest of dogs, my mum's used to let the kittens suckle of her. 

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

well i know for a fact my local rspca put a healthy dog to sleep because she was there for 15mths and no one showed intrest because she would not mix with any other animal and wasnt to b homed with anyone under16 in the house , the dog got very stressed at being in the kennels and they said theyd given her a chance
fair enough its not fair on the dog being locked in kennels 24/7 but imo its still well out of order they put her to sleep
she was a german shepherd cross called jess
she reminded me of my dog a lot
when we got him they were going to put him to sleep because he was aggresive and posseive to kennel staff and other dogs  and they thought he would never have a chance of getting re homed
i remember falling in love with him str8 away
the guy at the kennels told me he would b a time bomb
and he wanted to put him to sleep it was only the deputy head there who demanded the dog had one last chance ,they all said to me i was brave taking on a dog with such bad behavour problems
that was in 2002 next month it will b 5 years we have had him
and he is so gentle with all of us and it makes me so proud of how he is with the cats
they steal his bed and make him sleep on the floor and he just takes it
they suck on his fur and wash his ears for them and sometimes we find one of them asleep on his back lol
sorry but dont think any animals should b pts unless they are very ill and are in pain and suffering

[Tiggy's Mum]

I've been watching RSPCA - Frontline on Animal Planet and there have been a couple of episodes when they have admitted that they will put down perfectly healthy animals because they were not considered rehomeable - the animals in question were a very young cat who was not friendly and an elderly dog who was 'too old' to be rehomed although both were perfectly healthy.   

[Desley (booktigger)]

I can safely say that the only cats we had to have put to sleep last year was once we had tried medical things through the vet, and nothing worked - we do end up with cats that are with us for over a year - we only have one now though, as Tom went and came back, and Kelly has adopted Poppy.

[Angiew]

The reason larger charities lie about PTS is that they would no longer be fluffy little societies that would receive a lot of nice fat legacies to refurbish their national HQs

[Ruba]

Also, I've read that many cats and kittens are put to sleep because there is simply no space to home them all, and I'd like to know where is this done, as I see that all cat charities have a no destruction policy.

I don't think you would get a charity to admit it would you? But it is a known fact. Also people kill there pets in many different ways to 'get rid' constantly. The drowning of kittens is still very common

That's shocking...do you mean that all the charities that say they are no-kill in reality kill healthy animals anyway?  Wow.    
Would that include the Cat's Protection?

I expected farm people and all those that don't know any better to kill kittens rather than getting cats spayed/neutered, but I'm surprised about charities lying about it.

WHY do they lie about this?  If they were open about having to kill pets then maybe people would be forced to become aware of the problem.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

is it ?
omg

[Ela]

Also, I've read that many cats and kittens are put to sleep because there is simply no space to home them all, and I'd like to know where is this done, as I see that all cat charities have a no destruction policy.

I don't think you would get a charity to admit it would you? But it is a known fact. Also people kill there pets in many different ways to 'get rid' constantly. The drowning of kittens is still very common

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Also rural areas where animal life is not as valued unless it is for food 

[Millys Mum]

Im not sure which area has the biggest problem,the whole country struggles, but their are bigger problems in areas that are generally poor with high unemployment. (So take your pick of many many towns!) 

[Ruba]

...unwanted cat (and pets in general) population?

I'd like to find out which area has the greatest need of urgent help, and as lots of you seem to work for cat charities I was wondering if you know...

Also, I've read that many cats and kittens are put to sleep because there is simply no space to home them all, and I'd like to know where is this done, as I see that all cat charities have a no destruction policy.  Is there a sort of cat "pound" somewhere?
I just feel so ignorant on the issue