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    Policies

    Summary of Euthanasia Policy

    Through our Euthanasia policy, the Chemung County Humane Society & SPCA aims to ensure the best possible conditions are maintained for the animals already in our care, our staff and our adopters.

    Even though there is no set time limit on an animal's stay at the SPCA, long-term confinement in a shelter environment can compromise not only an animal's physical health, but also their behavioral health. Therefore, behavioral and medical assessments are regularly performed using industry-recognized methods to monitor their behavioral and medical well-being.

    Euthanasia is to be considered only after a reasonable and appropriate pursuit of all other viable options, including:

    • transferring out to reputable shelters and breed specific rescue organizations
    • placing in temporary foster care for rehabilitation or to avoid overcrowding in the shelter
    • utilizing targeted promotional campaigns and offsite events to increase visibility and chances of adoption.

    Candidates for euthanasia include those animals who:

    • are clearly suffering mentally, emotionally or physically
    • have a poor prognosis, protracted painful recovery, incurable illness
    • are non-responsive to treatment or have an illness for which treatment is not reasonably available
    • have a highly contagious, often fatal disease that poses a distinct threat to the rest of the shelter animal population
    • are deemed to pose an unacceptable danger to other animals, themselves or the public
    • have a condition that may not necessitate euthanasia on its own, but exists in conjunction with other behavioral and/or medical issues

    In addition, although the Chemung County Humane Society and SPCA does not turn stray animals away from contracting municipalities, and other municipalities when space allows, there is a practical limit to the number of animals that can be housed within the shelter without compromising the animals' emotional, mental or physical health due to overcrowding. Out of necessity, space considerations will occasionally factor into a euthanasia decision.

    As we take the act of euthanasia very seriously, all decisions are made by a committee of experienced shelter employees on a consensus basis.   The procedure itself is performed compassionately and with the utmost of dignity to the animals by trained and certified euthanasia technicians utilizing the most up-to-date industry-recognized best practices for humane euthanasia.

    To read the shelter's euthanasia policy in its entirety, please click here.