A no-kill shelter is an animal shelter where animals are only euthanized if they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be suitable for adoption. No-kill shelters reject euthanasia as a means of population control. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that approximately three to four million pets are killed yearly in shelters across the United States. The No Kill Advocacy Center and Alley Cat Allies claim this number is closer to five million. No-kill shelters are trying to end this killing by increasing the demand for shelter dogs and cats and reducing the supply by reducing the number of animals born and thus the number of animals which end up in shelters, and through increased spay/neuter, including low-cost/free help for low-income people.
The no-kill concept received a legal boost in 1998 when the state of California passed three pieces of legislation directed to reduce animal suffering at shelters in California: the Vincent Law, which requires shelters to spay or neuter animals prior to release; the Hayden Law, which requires improved shelter accountability; and the Kopp Law, which prohibited the use of carbon monoxide to euthanize animals.
No-Kill shelters received a financial boost with the establishment of the $250 million Maddies Fund. A number of communities in the United States have received financial grants from this fund which they credit with increasing their live-release rate. According to Maddies Fund, in America only about 20% of pets are adopted while the rest are from breeders and other source. By increasing that number by just a few percentage points, they believe that the problem of euthanasia of healthy cats and dogs can be solved.
The No-Kill Declaration, published by The No Kill Advocacy Center and Alley Cat Allies, defines many of the goals of no-kill sheltering. These organizations claim that over 10,000 groups and individuals have signed this declaration.
Definition
A no-kill shelter is most widely defined as an animal shelter where all "adoptable" and "treatable" animals are saved and where only "unadoptable" or "non-rehabilitatable" animals are euthanized. Definition of the terms may vary widely between organizations. and this has led to criticism. A common definition used by shelters is that of the Asilomar Accords, created by a group who described themselves as “some of the most influential leaders in the animal welfare movement”. The Asilomar Accords definition has been criticized by other No-kill proponents as being too vague, which may lead to "misuse and misapplication".
California Law, SB 1785 Statutes of 1998, also known as "The Hayden Law", defines the terms as follows:
Adoptable animals include only those animals eight weeks of age or older that, at or subsequent to the time the animal is impounded or otherwise taken into possession, have manifested no sign of a behavioral or temperamental defect that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and have manifested no sign of disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal or that is likely to adversely affect the animal's health in the future.Adoptable dogs may be old, deaf, blind, disfigured or disabled
A treatable animal shall include any animal that is not adoptable but that could become adoptable with reasonable efforts."Sick, traumatized, infant or unsocialized dogs need appropriate medical treatment, behavior modification and/or foster care to turn them into healthy animals ready for placement.
"Unadoptable" or "non-rehabilitatable" means animals that are neither adoptable or treatable. By way of exclusion, SB1785 defines "unadoptable":1) Animals eight weeks of age or younger at or subsequent to the time the animal is impounded; 2) Animals that have manifested signs of a behavioral or temperamental defect; 3) Those that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet and 4) Animals that have manifested signs of disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal or that is likely to adversely affect the animal's health in the future.
Techniques used
Spay/neuter programs
No-kill shelter advocates state that spay/neuter programs are among the most important techniques in achieving no-kill goals. A US study showed that low income families are less likely to have their pets neutered. A targeted low-cost high-volume program may cause a lowering of the overall supply of pets. San Francisco credited this technique in helping the city achieve a live release rate of 82%.
Many cats killed at shelters are feral cats and/or offspring of feral cats. Most feral cats are considered unadoptable and therefore killed by some conventional shelters. A Trap-Neuter-Return(TNR) program reduces the number of cats killed, but also reduces the number of kittens that end up in shelters. This may free up space to allow other cats to remain in the shelter and increase chances of adoption.
Adoption programs
While spay/neuter programs reduces the overall supply of pets, adoption programs allow pets to go to permanent homes and make space for other incoming animals. Shelters may open beyond normal working hours to allow working families more opportunities to visit and adopt animals. Adoption-friendly cageless facilities may be used to create a more inviting setting for the public. Animals may also be happier and more socialized in this type of setting.
Advertising and off-site adoption programs are set up to increase the visibility of available animals. Pet supply companies such as Petsmart and Petco have participated in such programs. Shelters also work with local or national breed rescue groups who focus on finding homes for specific breeds to enable more effective matching of potential adopters.
Retention programs
Shelters may offer information on behavioral advice, low-cost veterinary care, behavior classes and dog training to reduce the number of animal surrendered due to avoidable issues. Staff and volunteers can make sure shelter animals are well socialized before being adopted out to avoid similar issues.
Volunteers
No-Kill shelters rely heavily on volunteers. Volunteers assist in shelter operations, socialize animals, promote adoption and act as foster care workers. They also tend to adopt animals from the shelter which helps increase the number of animals adopted. No-kill shelter advocates speculate that people are more likely to volunteer at no-kill shelters than at conventional shelters, claiming this was the case when Tompkins county became no-kill.
Partnering
Besides off-site adoption programs partnership, shelters may also partner with veterinarians, veterinary and local businesses for funding, in-kind donations and sponsorships. Veterinarians are an invaluable resource in providing low-cost spay/neuter for no-kill shelters. Maddies Fund has given grants to veterinary groups and veterinarians who have provided low-cost spay/neuter programs. Tompkins SPCA partners with Cornell veterinary college to help evaluating aggressive dogs. Students at UC Davis veterinary college have helped keep animals healthy at bay area no-kill shelters.
International
India
India has the world's oldest no-kill traditions. The earliest instances of high volume spay/neuter of stray dogs was done in India. In 1994, the city of Mumbai agreed to handle dog control on a no-kill basis . In 1998, the Indian government announced the goal of the whole country to become no-kill by 2005. At that time, cities such as Delhi, Chennai and Jaipur had already adopted no-kill. However, in 2008 the Corporation of Mumbai proposed killing stray dogs as a means of reducing the "nuisance" created to the general public.
Italy
Italy has outlawed the euthanasia of healthy companion animals since 1991 and controls stray populations through trap, neuter and return programs. A compilation of 10 years worth of data on feral cat colonies in Rome has shown that although TNR decreased the cat population, pet abandonment was a significant problem.
Portugal
In Portugal, euthanasia is practiced at publicly-owned kennels although several different associations actively shelter strays. Among those is Patas Errantes, a non-profit private organization founded in 2006 which practices a policy of taking dogs off the street, vaccinating and sterilizing them, and either returning them to the streets or finding them new owners. Liga Portuguesa dos Direitos do Animal, a public utility state-recognized organization founded in 1981 is also quite active in animal sterilization and fights for no-kill. Sintra town kennel is noted for having ceased euthanasia practices in their kennel.
United Kingdom
The UK animal charity Dogs Trust states in its constitution that "no mentally and physically healthy dog taken into the protection of the rescue/re-homing centres shall be destroyed." The charity runs 17 rehoming centers which cares for 16000 dogs a year and houses 1400 dogs at any one time. It also operates a sanctuary for dogs that are unadoptable.
United States
In 1994, the City of San Francisco popularized the trend towards No-kill shelters. The San Fr
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