08/01/2025
At Saint Frances Animal Center (SFAC), the well-being—physical, mental, and behavioral—of every animal in our care is our top priority. Recently, we recommitted to holding regular, structured meetings focused on assessing each animal’s quality of life and adoptability, including any safety concerns related to potential placements. While these assessments have always been part of our mission, the growing demands of an overcrowded shelter have made it difficult to conduct them as thoroughly as we would like. We’re now making these evaluations a consistent, non-negotiable part of our work.
SFAC serves as the open-admission shelter for all of Georgetown County. This means we accept every cat and dog brought to us, without exception. Unlike limited-admission rescues, we cannot say no due to space or behavioral concerns. Every intake is a promise—to care, comfort, and do everything in our power to help them find safety and love. Many arrive scared, injured, or having never known kindness. We care for them not just because it’s our job, but because we are passionate about saving lives.
But passion, if unchecked, can blur the line between helping and harming. Sometimes, in our desire to save, we delay making difficult decisions—hoping the “perfect adopter” will appear, or convincing ourselves that an animal is better off in the shelter than anywhere else. This can lead to animals spending weeks, months, or even years in kennels, where they may receive just 30 minutes outside per day. In such conditions, behavioral and mental health often deteriorate.
The shelter environment—no matter how loving our staff—is inherently loud, overstimulating, and often distressing. Many animals are not free from fear, discomfort, or pain, despite our best efforts. These conditions violate several of the internationally recognized Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, of which we can consistently guarantee only one: freedom from hunger and thirst.
Currently, we are housing approximately 200 dogs—far beyond our capacity of 80. Most kennels house at least two animals with at least 20 dogs in crates. Intakes regularly outpace adoptions. Occasionally, rescue partners help, but typically not with our long-term residents.
No one would choose to keep their own pet crated for 23+ hours a day. Yet this has become reality for many animals in our care, simply because we’re trying to save them all. But long-term confinement often leads to suffering—behavioral issues, emotional decline, and sometimes, aggression. We’ve seen it happen. And we never want to place an animal in a home and later learn someone was hurt—knowing in our hearts we had concerns. That’s why we are recommitting to honest, thoughtful discussions about each animal’s well-being. These decisions are not made lightly. They involve the people who interact with the animals daily and are informed by input from other staff and volunteers. We want to save every life—but we also know we cannot compromise the welfare of other animals, staff, or the community in the process.
Euthanasia is never easy. No one at SFAC wants to make that decision, even when it’s the right one. It is heartbreaking and emotionally devastating. And when the public or other rescues question our motives or accuses us of indifference, it adds to the already heavy burden.
If you want to help us save more lives:
• Adopt if you can.
• Foster if you’re able.
• Volunteer if you have time.
• Or simply understand that euthanasia is never our first choice. It is a last resort, made with sorrow and compassion, in service of animals who cannot speak for themselves.
Thank you for supporting our work
