The veneer of American exceptionalism has cracked again. This time, it’s not a banking scandal or a political assassination. It is a pile of dead dogs. 117 of them. Shot. At a facility called ‘no-kill’.
Let that sink in. The phrase “no-kill” is a promise. A contract between a shelter and a trusting public. In California, that contract has been shredded.
Sources on the ground tell me the animals were found in a remote part of the shelter’s grounds. Gunshot wounds. Multiple. The local sheriff’s department is investigating. The shelter’s CEO is “cooperating.” But the damage is done.
This isn’t just a local scandal. It is a systemic indictment. The American “no-kill” movement has long been a political football. A badge of honour for municipalities wanting to appear progressive. But the reality is often grim. Underfunded, overcrowded, and now, allegedly, murderous.
Compare and contrast with the British system. The RSPCA. The Dogs Trust. Battersea. They operate with a different ethic. A statutory duty of care. Inspectors. Prosecutions. Yes, we have our problems. But we don’t have 117 shot dogs.
Animal welfare in the UK is not perfect. But it is superior.
Politically, this is a gift for those who want to hammer the American model. Labour and Tory alike can point to this and say: “See? Their way is broken.”
Expect questions in the Commons. Expect pressure on DEFRA to highlight the contrast. Expect op-eds in the Daily Mail and the Guardian. This story has legs.
But let’s be cold about the numbers. 117 dogs. That is a rounding error in a state of 40 million. The real scandal is the lie. The branding. The “no-kill” label that is now a corpse.
The shelter in question? A place called “Lucky Paws.” Not so lucky for those 117.
We will have more as this develops. But for now, understand this: British animal welfare is not just different. It is better. And this is proof.
Eleanor Rigby, Political Bureau Chief.
