We almost never make public announcements of euthanasias, even in high-profile cases or stories that have been in the news. If it's a medical case that we've been fundraising for, then we may make an exception. Online discussions on euthanasia are not usually productive and if you're not careful in your initial explanation, you can quickly lose control of a narrative. If you find that you need to mention or talk about euthanasia, you can talk about prevention of fatal diseases and illness, the importance of fostering medical cases, or how your community can be involved with fundraising for animals who may face similar issues. Our socials aren't exclusively used for adoption promotion (nor does it only feature available animals) and our website only features pets that are available. I think having diversified content has also helped us tremendously in being able to navigate these tougher conversations.
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Aliyah Moore
Digital Media Specialist
Humane Society of St. Lucie County
FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-14-2026 05:56 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: How do you update a post if an animal is no longer "with us"
This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
So we all know the sadness and broken feelings that come when you post an available dog or cat that ends up being euthanized in the shelter. Our director goes above and beyond to prevent this but sometimes medical issues just win the battle. Normally when a dog is adopted I edit the post to say ADOPTED however, Im torn on the ones that dont make it due to medical reasoning. I believe in transparency and education of the public 100% but wondered what other shelters and rescues do to soften the blow without causing crowds with pitchforks coming at you.
#MarketingandSocialMedia
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