Across the world, pet owners turn to euthanasia as a compassionate choice to help their pets pass peacefully when illness, injury, or old age severely impacts their quality of life. Euthanasia is rooted in the desire to spare animals from continuing pain or suffering. But what happens when this practice is misused, especially in animal shelters that aren’t always guided by compassion?
In Tampa, the issue of unethical euthanasia in pet shelters has sparked concern over whether all euthanasia decisions are essential or if some are caused by other factors, such as overcrowding or lack of resources.
“If we don’t start calling out people, there’s no way we’re going to get them to change,“ Scott Trebaotski, an animal welfare advocate, and current Hillsborough County Pet Resources Center (HCPRC) department head said. “Yes, it’s embarrassing, but if the government and the community support us with the necessary resources, humane practices are possible.”
However, Trebaotski notes that recent years have brought a positive shift to this cause. Reports indicate a notable reduction in unnecessary euthanasia across Tampa shelters, signaling a renewed commitment to ethical practices.
Unethical euthanasia practices have long been a concern for animal shelters, especially when proper procedures are not followed. In some instances, shelters fail to adhere to state regulations, like 16-hour training, or humane standards, leading to improper handling of animals.
These lapses can go unnoticed without active oversight, which is where citizen involvement becomes crucial. One significant example of citizen-driven change came when reports from the public helped uncover a shelter in the Tampa Area that was not performing euthanasia correctly.
“Had we not been told about it, who knows how long it could have continued,” Trebaotski said. As former president of the Florida Animal Control Association, his experience underscores the importance of citizen tips in holding shelters accountable and following ethical euthanasia practices.
Despite these incidents, the overall trend in euthanasia practices has “gotten way, way better than when I started in this business 25 years ago” he said. HCPRC now only euthanizes animals for medical reasons—those that are too ill to recover or are unresponsive to treatment. This shift reflects better training and stricter guidelines that have been put in place, but it also highlights the ongoing need for vigilant monitoring.
Understaffing at pet shelters is an ongoing problem. This can cause many difficulties in how the shelter runs because there are so many roles that are needed for them to function successfully. The roles are not only just cleaning and grooming, but they also include more time-consuming things.
Examples include having one-on-one time with dogs that have been previously abused and are now frightened of human existence. As well as dogs that need more medical care, because with age comes more health problems. Showing that with more necessities, more staff and resources are needed.
Government support for smaller shelters is generally low, often leading them to operate on minimal staffing. Even one or two extra employees could significantly increase a shelter’s capacity to rehabilitate and rehome more animals, Trebaotski said.
Hillsborough County officials are prioritizing humane practices by increasing funding and staff to eliminate unethical pet euthanasia. This effort has resulted in one of the highest public shelter live outcome rates in the U.S. over the past five years.
Trebaotski’s goal for his shelter is to save 95% of the pets that the shelter takes in. To meet this goal, they would need 24 additional employees and a twenty-million-dollar budget increase.
The ongoing efforts to reduce unethical euthanasia practices across Tampa show the community’s commitment to animal welfare. The achievements, marked by significant reductions in unnecessary euthanasia, underscore a growing recognition of the importance of treating every animal with compassion and respect. Yet, advocates stress that challenges remain, especially as shelters often struggle with low budgets and staff, complicating their ability to give.
Trebaotski who has spent over two decades working to improve shelter standards, underscores the importance of community and governmental support: “If the government and the community support us with the resources we need, humane practices are possible.”
His optimism is grounded in experience, pointing to the power of collective effort to ensure that all shelters, not just the best-funded, uphold humane standards. Tampa pet advocates aim to create a future where euthanasia decisions are driven solely by compassion and necessity.
