11/05/2026
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN ANIMAL SHELTER
I’ve been made aware of a video circulating on TikTok regarding a dog that was surrendered to our shelter and ultimately euthanized. I believe it’s important that I address this situation and provide some context, because there is more to this story than what is being presented in that video.
First, let me say that we do everything within our ability to save as many animals as we possibly can. That has always been our goal, and it is something my staff, volunteers, and rescue partners work toward every single day.
However, there are details about this particular situation that the video leaves out.
This was a nine-year-old dog whose owner chose to surrender and leave the animal at our shelter. The dog had significant behavioral and aggression issues and would not allow anyone other than its owner to touch or handle it.
When an animal is surrendered to our facility, we explain the possible outcomes. There are three possibilities: the animal may become available for adoption, may be pulled by a rescue organization, or, in certain circumstances, may have to be euthanized. The owner was made aware of these possibilities before voluntarily signing the animal over to our care.
We also explained that, given this dog’s behavioral history and aggressive nature, euthanasia was a very real possibility.
For four days, our staff, multiple volunteers, and individuals with animal-handling experience worked to gain this dog’s trust. Unfortunately, despite those efforts, we made no meaningful progress that would allow us to safely handle or place this animal.
This is not an outcome anybody wanted. Euthanasia is never an easy decision, and it is certainly not something our staff takes pleasure in.
But I also want to make something very clear: The City of Meridian Animal Shelter is not a magical fairytale where every animal that comes through our doors finds a happy ending. I wish that were the case, but it simply isn’t reality.
We are an open-admission shelter. That means we must accept animals brought to us by residents within our jurisdiction, regardless of their age, condition, temperament, behavior, or circumstances.
We cannot pick and choose only the easy cases. We see abandoned animals, neglected animals, sick animals, aggressive animals, unwanted litters, and pets whose owners have decided they no longer want the responsibility.
Pets are a lifetime commitment. They depend on us, and they deserve better than being discarded when they become inconvenient or difficult to care for.
Have we made great strides at this shelter? Absolutely.
Have our numbers improved? Yes.
Have we received tremendous support from our community, volunteers, donors, and rescue partners? Without question, and we are incredibly grateful.
But we still have a long way to go. People are still failing to spay and neuter their pets. Animals are still being abandoned. And people are still surrendering animals because they no longer want the responsibility.
Because of these realities, euthanasia will always be a part of operating an open-admission animal shelter. Our goal is to make those numbers as small as humanly possible, but I would be dishonest if I stood here and promised that every animal can be saved.
We will continue to do what we can for as many as we can, for as long as we can.
I will never stand here and tell you that every decision we make is easy. I will never tell you that every animal gets a happy ending. But I will tell you that my staff and I come to work every day with the intention of making a difference in the lives of these animals.
I believe in transparency. I believe our community deserves to know the good, the bad, and the difficult realities of animal sheltering.
If you have questions about this situation or the operations of our shelter, you are welcome to contact me directly.
Brian McCary
Director
City of Meridian Animal Shelter
601-485-2325
