ARK is just the latest example of why the term “no-kill shelter” has become synonymous with “over-crowded, filthy conditions” for many of us who have had a behind-the-scenes view of shelters. I have spent about 15 years working and volunteering with animal rescue programs and have seen a broad spectrum of shelter conditions, from deplorable to state-of-the-art. And guess what? State-of-the-art shelters are usually those that practice humane euthanasia. There is a simple fact that no-kill shelters don’t want their donors or the public to know—there just aren’t enough loving, responsible homes for all of the homeless animals out there. Period.

Humane euthanasia is exactly what it says—humane. The anti-euthanasia lobby has done animals a grave injustice by using terms like kill, murder, exterminate. These words have great dramatic affect and create overwhelming guilt about euthanizing animals. I am not suggesting that euthanizing a pet should be an easy decision. It should not. But the public has been led to believe that anything, literally anything is better than euthanasia, including abandoning a pet in a locked home and moving out; dumping him in a wooded area; or dropping her at an overcrowded no-kill shelter. After 15 years in the business, I can tell you that there are indeed fates worse than death; one of them is being stuck in a filthy, over-crowded shelter with almost no hope of ever being adopted into a loving home.

Let’s stop the drama and do what is right for animals—when they are ill, disabled, have serious behavior problems (such as aggression), or if you simply cannot take care of them any longer, have the courage to ask your vet to humanely euthanize the animal. At least this way you know that they will not have a single day of suffering.