Oprah;

I hope when you decide the time is right for you to adopt a dog to bring into your family that you adopt from a kill shelter..Going to a no-kill shelter and adopting is a wonderful thing..But you will really save a life at a high kill shelter..Any dog's coming from a place like that will be really saving a life..

I live in Bridgeport Connecticut and my local shelter kills dogs and cats..So far this fiscal year they have taken in over 1,300 animals..I cringe when I think how many of those poor souls have been killed..I have two rescues from that shelter and one from another local town's shelter and yet another one from a local rescue..

My daughter just recently rescued a dog from a high kill shelter in Texas..She was heartworm positive and would have surely been killed..She is now 100% healthy and we love her to pieces..

Those are the dogs that need to be rescued..Please consider a dog from a high kill shelter..You will really be saving a life..

And thank you for today's show with a segment on Angel's Gate..A wonderful inspiring show surely to make people see up close and personal the suffering animals who would have died if it wasn't for Ms. Marino and her caring soul..

We have here in Stratford CT a rescuer that does handicap rescue also but on a smaller scale..The rescue name is SARAH, INC.Also a wonderful woman dedicated to helping the sick and injured dogs in our area and beyond..

Thank you, Jan Bassett

I was saddened, sickened, disgusted, and horrified when I saw the segment of your show showing the animal shelter taking care of physically handicapped pets. It is a sick world that looks at something like that and considers that "humane treatment"of animals. Those poor creatures should all have been humanely euthanized as soon as they were found. Shame on you for trying to make her look like some kind of hero. Animals have been "humanized" by society and this is wrong. We are a family who loves our pets(12 horses, 2 dogs, cats) but when an animal is injured so severely that they can no longer function we put them to sleep to take them out of their suffering. As humans it is our God given obligation to care for all animals in our charge but animals deserve to be freed from suffering when unnecessary suffering occurs. I hope there are millions of other viewers who also realized how awful it is to force these animals to continue to suffer.

Bryan

I was so happy to hear a follow up from the puppy mill show. I volunteer with my local shelter and know that this show has helped and will help educate the public to the reality of the puppy mill problems as well as the challenges of shelters all across our country. I was a little disturbed when Oprah said she would adopt from a "No Kill" shelter for her next pet. It seemed a put down on the shelters that are not "No Kill". As there are many shelters that are not "No Kill" but work very hard to help homeless animals and have a goal of "No Kill" This seemed to be a put down on those of us working so hard for the animals but aren't No Kill.

Carrie

Jan,

I had the very same reaction and posted a message before reading your message. I also work with a shelter (Which people would call a Kill Shelter) and am very proud of the work we do faced with the challenge of being the only shelter in the area and taking in more than 5000 animals a year.

To Bryan's comment, I understand that an animal suffering from severe pain and has no chance of a happy recovery should no doubt be euthanized to save them from the pain, but the animals shown in the segment today were clearly not in pain whatsoever. To claim that all animals with physical dissablities should be euthanized is like saying people with dissablities should not be given a chance at a happy life. The animals that were shown from Angels Gate were not at all at fault for the diformities they live with, so how should we be the ones to rip them of their love and companionship to the workers and other animals around them? In my opinion, if an animal is happy, loved, and out of pain, no matter their diformity, we are not in the right to steal that from there. Angels Gate is a beautiful and blessed place, and I truely teared up to see there are other remarkable people out there who see through that animals deserve a sincere end to their lives just as we.

Dear Jan and Oprah,

Oprah thank you for bring the important facts out about puppy mills, shelter and spay neuter. I work for a shelter and was amazed by how well the show was done. thank you also for deciding to adopt your next canine family member. Separating shelters by kill and no kill however does more harm than good. No one shelter is no kill. If one shelter is not euthanizing for space meaning they close their doors when they are full, another shelter must to make room for the animal turned away from the non kill shelter aka limited admisson shelter. Shelters that do not euthanize for space close their doors to animals needing a shelter. With out open door shelters, meaning if all shelters are not euthanizing for space then, their doors will be closed and animals will either be left in backyards neglected to die, abandoned on the streets, brought directly to the vet to be euthanized without a chance for adoption or abused by the person that does not want them. Adopt from animal shelters, every adoption will make room for another life to be saved.

Dana