Council debate about the euthanasia rates at Danville Humane Society gets heated

Danville, Virginia – At the council meeting on Tuesday night, there was back and forth as residents expressed worry over the euthanasia rate of the Danville Area Humane Society.

Although the humane society stated that they never turn away an animal and instead maintain their shelters filled, many wish to see those percentages decrease.

Everybody knows that the City Council must step in. Tuesday night, city manager Ken Larking, who has been leading the charge on this matter, was present in the front row. He stated that while a solution is still being worked on, he is actively attempting to find one.

“Right now, the most effective and efficient way of helping to move the needle is for me to work with the relevant groups to come up with solutions that will result in better things,” Larking stated.

He said that the city would assist in putting any proposals to lower such charges into action. Larking invites people in the community to provide solutions.

Data from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Goods revealed that the humane society put more than 70% of dogs and 80% of cats to death in the previous year, which is when it all began.

The Danville Area Humane Society said that although they don’t turn away animals, they don’t always have enough room to house them all. This is why.

The humane society was offered help by the national welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society provided they renounced their open admittance policy.

They declined that offer. Then, to push for the shelter to implement this policy, best friends started a campaign called Danville Deserves Better.