Animal Rights Uncompromised:
Euthanasia

Every day in the United States, tens of thousands of puppies and kittens are born, and there will never be enough homes for all these animals. Shelters are stuck with the heart-wrenching job of dealing with unwanted animals. Euthanasia is a reality because of people who abandon animals, refuse to sterilize their animals, and patronize pet shops and breeders instead of adopting stray animals or animals from shelters.

Some people wonder why "surplus" animals can't simply live in shelters instead of being killed. Even if government-sponsored and private shelters had the resources to house the millions of homeless animals born in the United States each year (and they don't), "no-kill" shelters do not provide a solution to the problem of animal-companion homelessness. Dogs, cats, and other animal companions need much more than food, water, and a cage or pen. They also need lots of loving care, regular and sustained companionship, respect for their individuality, and the opportunity to run and play. As difficult as it may be for us to accept, euthanasia (when carried out by veterinarians or trained shelter professionals with a painless intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital) is often the most compassionate and dignified way for unwanted animals to leave an uncaring world.

Read more about euthanasia.