A dog was shot and killed in Seattle in early April, but one would not know it unless one is following the SPD blotter.
It’s not easy finding news about Seattle’s animals outside of feel-good stories, adoption pleas, and fundraising requests. Based on the local media, you’d think everything is fine. We rarely, if ever, hear about the shelter crisis being experienced by Seattle rescues within the actual city limits. (Seattle Humane is in Bellevue, not Seattle). We don’t hear anything about the struggles at the Seattle Animal Shelter. We rarely hear about abuse cases and investigations. Sometimes we get stories about vet care for low-income and homeless, but usually issues are explored on a national rather than a local stage. Below are four examples of the rosy stories and the not-so-rosy realities.
Seattle is the Best Dog City in the Country?
It is according to an article in Secret Seattle. USA today ranked cities based on the following categories and we came out on top:
Number of veterinary offices
Average annual veterinary costs in the city
Number of dog parks
Close vicinity to a park (within a 10-minute walk)
How walkable a city is without a car
Number of “cooling degree days”
It would have been interesting to see how major cities fared if USA Today had looked at the following criteria as well and seen how it has changed over time. Would Seattle have done so well:
Funding for animal services
Number of shelter and enforcement staff
Number of cruelty complaints and investigations
Modern 21st century animal welfare laws
Dog shot and killed in Seattle
But then we have this story which we will be tracking to see if it gets any coverage.
At 1329 hours, officers were dispatched to a report of a person shooting a dog. Officers arrived and located the deceased pet and the owner. Officers were able to contact the suspect who admitted to shooting the dog. The suspect was arrested and booked for investigation of animal cruelty with the elements for the misdemeanor crimes of unlawful discharge of a firearm and unlawful carry present as well. A firearm was recovered as well as a single fired 9mm cartridge case. Animal control responded to the scene.
Kitty Hall Returns to City Hall
On Thursday, April 14th, there will be another Kitty Hall when the Seattle Animal Shelter brings kittens that are up for adoption to Seattle City Hall on Fourth Avenue. Mayor Bruce Harrell issued a press release saying “Pets play such an important role in our lives by providing us with unconditional love and companionship, and the bonds we make with our pets reward us with so many wonderful memories.”
WHAT: Seattle Animal Shelter’s Annual Kitty Hall
WHEN: Thursday, April 11, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.
WHERE: Seattle City Hall’s Bertha Knight Landes Room, 600 Fourth Ave.
But what about the cats that don’t get adopted? What about the feral cats in the city? What about the victims of abuse and neglect? Where is the press release about that and the efforts the city is undertaking to address it?
Feral Cat Population Affected by Homelessness
Thanks to KUOW for one article about feral cats and how their growth has been affected by the increase in homeless encampments. It spotlights the Alley Cat Project and how effective trap, spay, neuter is, but how there have also been population spikes around Georgetown and SoDo where there are quite a few large encampments. Feral cats are also far more likely to be euthanized at shelters than other animals.
Needless to say, Kitty Hall is only one, very slanted, side of the story.