KCS,

After having done a couple of months of vol. work at the local shelter here, I suddenly realize that the cats there are safe, being fed, being played with, being taken care of medically including altering or spaying. And you know what, not all shelters destroy their unwanted/unadopted pets. Some animals do get put to sleep for medical reasons, but even the places that do "kill" the unwanted, also take the care to do it humanely. I can't think of any better way to go than to go to sleep. The alternative for some of these animals is gruesome at best. Anyway, I just want you to know that it is much better to take an animal to a shelter than to dump it on the street. Of course, everyone has their opinions about this, and they are entitled of course. I just know that if no one wanted me around, I wish they would give me another chance - and then...well, sleep isn't so bad. We created the problem for the pets. We, humans that is. So chin up, many animals make it out of those shelters and they all make it out of the shelter where I work. All, except the medically sick and incurable. There should be a standard to shelters, but there is not. There is usually not enough funding to keep each and every unwanted/stray pet alive forever. So we either need to pay more to the shelters or find ways to make sure everyone neuters their pets. I can't think of any comforting words for you except not all shelters kill.