The Dark Side of the Moon: A Good Adoption Rate Conceals the Unsolved Ethical Problem of Never-Adopted Dogs

TL;DR

This paper examines the ethical issues of a no-kill dog policy in Italy, highlighting that while adoption rates are high, many dogs remain in shelters for life.

Contribution

The study provides new ethical insights into the long-term consequences of no-kill policies for unadoptable dogs.

Findings

Adoption rates at Muratella shelter were 53.84% and 49.11% in two study periods.

Approximately 3-4% of dogs remained unadopted and spent their lives in shelters.

The ethical dilemma of lifelong confinement for unadoptable dogs persists despite high adoption success.

Abstract

Driven by society’s growing interest in animal welfare, nine European countries, including Italy, have adopted a no-kill policy for unowned domestic dogs. This approach increases the likelihood of dogs being adopted and living with a family. However, dogs deemed unadoptable are required to spend their entire lives in shelters. In countries where the no-kill policy is implemented by law, several challenges arise, including managing the costs associated with the large number of dogs in shelters and addressing the ethical dilemma of keeping non-adoptable dogs confined for life. While adoption rates are generally successful, the small percentage of dogs condemned to lifelong shelter residence still represents a significant number and poses important ethical concerns.

The no-kill policy for domestic dogs, adopted in Italy in 1991, reflects a growing interest in animal welfare and increases the chances of dogs being adopted and living with a family. However, unadoptable dogs must spend their entire lives in shelters. This paper reports the adoption numbers from the ‘Muratella’ shelter (Rome) during the periods 2012–2016 (first period) and 2018–2022 (second period), illustrating the outcomes of the no-kill policy in a large metropolitan area. Furthermore, it discusses the ethical implications after 34 years of implementing Italian laws on the management of free-ranging dogs. During the first period, 7888 dogs entered the shelter, of which 4247 (53.84%) were adopted and 307 (3.89%) were not adopted. Similarly, during the second period, 8853 dogs entered the shelter, of which 4251 (49.11%) were adopted and 278 (3.16%) remained in the shelter by the end of 2022. Furthermore, we report the fate of unadopted dogs by the end of 2024. Despite the success in adoptions, the small percentage of dogs condemned to lifelong shelter residence still represents a significant number and warrants ethical reflection.

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