Of course it's true...Shelters are more than full and have to make some more than cruel choices...when a pet is old, and there for along time, the shelter sometime make decision to put him down to make some space to rescue a dog that will maybe have chance to be adopted.
Some shelters don't do that, but the biggest one, who are surrounded with abandonned pets are OBLIGED to make decision...MILLIONS of cats and dogs are killed in shelter every years in the world, because they are too old, or too big, or because noone ever watched them, or just because the shelter has a limited space and must give chance to other mistreated pets that are also waiting to be rescued...
Hopefully we decided not to do this in our organisation, because we can afford to, but some shelters are very crowded.
People in US should spread this on facebook or twitter so this dog can be taken from there and transfered to another shelter who don't kill or maybe adopted. If the shelter is ok, this dog can be transfered to another part of the country. At least maybe the shelter can find her a shelter family so that they are not obliged to kill her anymore until she gets adopted.
Sadly all pets in shelter can be put in this killing list. young, old, healthy or not... A shelter is not "heaven" for pets. It's a center where people do there best to cope with other people cruelty...In my town, all kitten (BABIES) who are brought every summer are automatically killed, because there are too much of them being born every year and the shelter cannot afford to keep so many (not enough money, limited space, too litlle adoption, too little foster families...)
I adopted my dog from a shelter, she was 11 and found on street, i think the shelter would have killed her on the next list of "dogs to be killed to make space". She's wonderfull, very nice with everyone, very well educated, quiet... It's sad people always want baby pets because old ones are great too !
