No-kill shelter 5346738 225016792 2008-07-11T13:58:56Z Bob98133 4392768 /* Notable No-Kill Shelters and No-Kill Communities */ added Newburgh, NY {{unbalanced}} {{worldwide}} A '''no-kill shelter''' is most widely defined as an [[animal shelter]] where all adoptable and treatable animals are kept alive and where only unadoptable or non-rehabilitatable animals are [[euthanasia|euthanized]].<ref>[http://www.nokillnow.com/definition_nokill.htm "Defining No Kill Shelters"] No Kill Now</ref> The California Law, SB 1785 Statutes of 1998, also known as "The Hayden Law", defines the terms as follow: {{quote|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}} {{quote|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.}} {{quote|"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.}} Approximately three to four million pets are killed yearly in shelters across the United States.<ref>[http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/pet_overpopulation_and_ownership_statistics/hsus_pet_overpopulation_estimates.html HSUS Pet Overpopulation Estimates] The Humane Society of the United States</ref> The '''no-kill movement''' is trying to end this killing by increasing the demand for shelter dogs and cats and reducing the supply. The no-kill movement hopes to reduce the number of animals born and thus the number of animals which end up in shelters through increased spay/neuter, including low-cost/free help for low-income people. Coupled with increasing the number of adoptions through various techniques the no-kill movement hopes to ultimately end the killing of homeless pets. The No-Kill Movement received a financial boost with the establishment of the $250 million Maddies Fund. A number of communities in the United States have significantly increased their live-release rate and gotten closer to their no-kill goals with the help of Maddies.<ref>[http://www.maddies.org/projects/comp_proj.html Maddie's Fund Funded Projects Completed] Maddie's Fund</ref> The No-Kill Movement has also been promoted with the No-Kill Declaration.<ref>[http://www.nokilldeclaration.org/ No-Kill Declaration], No-Kill Declaration</ref> It has been signed by over 10,000 groups and individuals. ==Techniques used== {{Prose|date=February 2008}} *Low cost/high volume [[neutering|spay/neuter]] programs *Using [[Trap-Neuter-Return]](TNR) to control feral cat populations *Working with local or national breed rescue groups to better target potential adopters with specific breeds in mind *Increasing the use of volunteers to assist shelter operations, socialize animals, promote adoption and act as foster care workers *Extending operation hours to evenings and weekends to accommodate potential adopters *Showing of adoptable animals at offsite venues, including [[Petsmart]] and [[Petco]] to increase outreach *Use of adoption friendly/cageless shelters *Partnering with veterinarians, veterinary colleges for medical support and local businesses for funding and sponsorship. * discouraging owners from surrendering their animals by evaluating their reasons for abandonment and offering ways to remedy the situations, and through programs, fees and fines. ==Notable No-Kill Shelters and No-Kill Communities== In 1994, the City of [[San Francisco]] popularized the trend towards "No-kill" shelters. The San Francisco SPCA, led by President Richard Avanzino who would later become the President of Maddie's Fund, along with the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control guaranteed a home to every "adoptable" dog and cat who entered the shelter system.<ref>[http://www.sfgov.org/site/acc_index.asp?id=6656 Animal Care and Control: Agreement between SFSPCA and ACC] sfgov.org</ref>. Since then the city of San Francisco (the SPCA along with the Department of Animal Care and Control) has consistently been able to keep San Francisco as a no-kill city. In 2007, the live release rate of all dogs and cats in the city of San Francisco was 82%.<ref>[http://npomail.net/sums/sfspca/cc123107/cchtml123107.html Creature Comforts Vol 12, Issue 1] San Francisco SPCA Newsletter, January 2008</ref> In 2001, [[Tompkins County, New York]] transitioned over a two-year period to a no-kill community.<ref>[http://www.bestfriends.org/archives/forums/goingnokill.html "No Kill OVERNIGHT"] Best Friends Animal Society</ref> The Tompkins SPCA, an open-admission shelter and animal control facility for Tompkins county, was instrumental in achieving this goal. Tompkins SPCA was able to achieve a live release rate of over 90% every year since then. Tompkins SPCA was able to achieve this while going from having a budget deficit to a budget surplus and was even able to raise millions of dollars to build a new cageless no-kill shelter<ref>[http://www.spcaonline.com/new_green.htm The Nation's First "GREEN" Animal Shelter!] Tompkins County SPCA</ref>.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} In 2006, 145 (6% of a total intake of 2353) dogs and cats classified as unhealthy or untreatable were euthanised.<ref>[http://www.spcaonline.com/docs/2006stats.pdf 2006 statistics] Tompkins County SPCA</ref> In comparison, the national average rate of euthanasia in 2005 was 56%.<ref>[http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_8378784 Tehama County sees increase in euthanasia rate for pets] Red Bluff Daily News Online</ref> In 1998, California passed three pieces of legislation directed to reduce animal suffering at shelters in California: the Vincent Law, the Kopp Law and the Hayden Law.<ref>[http://www.maddies.org/nokill/nokill_legislation.html No-Kill Legislation] Maddie's Fund</ref> The Hayden Law was enacted to help reduce the killing of animals in shelters and as a result many California communities have made significant progress in increasing their live-release rates and no-kill goals{{Fact|date=April 2008}} The [[Best Friends Animal Sanctuary]] in Kanab, Utah is a no-kill animal sanctuary providing homes for thousands of homeless pets. With financial help from Maddies totaling over $9 million spread over five years, they led a coalition of rescue groups called "No More Homeless Pets in Utah". The goal of the coalition was to move the state of Utah closer to a no kill community. In the period from 1999-2006, the organization reported that statewide adoption rate increased 39% while euthanasia rate droped 30%.<ref>[http://www.utahpets.org/about.html About us] No More Homeless Pets in Utah</ref> In 1994 the city of [[Mumbai]], [[India]] set an agreement to handle dog control on a no-kill basis .<ref>[http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/passage_to_INDIA.html A Passae to India] Animal People, Jan/Feb 1998 </ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/98/8/maneka.html Maneka claims cabinet post for animals] Animal People, October 1998</ref>{{Update after | 2005 | 11 | 4}} Italy outlawed the euthanasia of healthy companion animals since 1991<ref>[http://www.friendsofromancats.org/italianlaw.html Law August 14th,1991, # 281], friendsofromancats.org, Translated by Piera Bignetti</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TBK-4M33VSW-1&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F18%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=summary&_orig=browse&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fe34d0ab541fe2dac04617f5220565c4 Management of feral domestic cats in the urban environment of Rome (Italy)] Natoli et al. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Volume 77, Issues 3-4, 18 December 2006, Pages 180-185</ref> In spite in Portugal euthanasia is admitted and practiced by public-owned kennels, several different associations devote to active sheltering of strays. Among those, [http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patas_errantes Patas Errantes], a non-profit private organization stands as practicing a policy of taking dogs off the street, vaccinating and sterilizing those, physically recovering them in their shelter, and, according to their nature, either putting them back on the streets again (where they will be unable to reproduce) or finding them new owners. [http://errantes.org Patas Errantes] exists since 2006 and does not receive any state subsidy. [http://lpda.pt 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 a no-kill evolution. [[Sintra]] town kennel is noted for having ceased euthanasia practices in their town kennel. In 2008, the Newburgh, New York SPCA declared that town's shelter to be no-kill. Since the shelter was full at the time of this announcement, no new animals will be accepted, but those wishing to surender an animal can be put on a waiting list. One reason for the shelter's policy change was to educate the public about the "epidemic of animal overpopulation."<ref>[http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080710/NEWS/807100321 Newburgh SPCA now a no-kill shelter]</ref> ==Controversy== ===Divisive labeling=== Although proponents of no-kill make the distinction between [[euthanasia]] and killing, some still find the term "no-kill" misleading. The term has also caused divide in the animal welfare community beyond ideological differences as it inadvertently implies other shelters to be "kill" shelters,<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-12-no-kill-shelters_N.htm Merits of no-kill shelters questioned] Elizabeth White, Associated Press</ref> an accusation that cast a bad light on traditional shelters.<ref name="Arluke">[http://books.google.com/books?id=T1CmdB5StGoC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=no+kill+shelter+divide&source=web&ots=qpW5U1jO_i&sig=4_KFZcvganjMGLCzTgqFtZ47o5o#PPA142,M1 Just a Dog: Understanding Animal Cruelty and Ourselves] Arnold Arluke, Temple University Press, 2006. ISBN 978-1592134724</ref> Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Arnold Arluke has stated that "The no-kill perspective has damaged the community that long existed among shelter workers, changing how they think and feel about each other. The vast majority of shelter workers suddenly are thought of as cruel; five million deaths each year are seen as avoidable rather than inevitable, as previously thought. The no-kill idea created culpability within the shelter world; open-admissionists became the guilty party."<ref name="Arluke"/> Since its conversion to no-kill, the San Francisco SPCA has moved away from the use of the term stating that no-kill "misrepresents the reality that some of the animals in our care with serious medical and behavior problems are euthanized."<ref>[http://www.sfspca.org/news/111007asilomar.shtml Asilomar Accord Language] Jan McHugh-Smith, San Francisco SPCA</ref> ===Limited admission=== [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]], a strong critic of no-kill, refers to no-kill shelters as “limited admission shelters” and claims that most no-kill shelters turn away animals if the facilities are full. They contend that this results in owners abandoning or harming unwanted animals, or simply shifts the burden to nearby traditional shelters.<ref>[http://www.peta.org/Living/AT-Fall2005/nokill.asp “The Disturbing Facts About ‘No-Kill’ Shelters”] Peta</ref>. No-Kill advocates counter that open admission shelters may actually lead to a great deal of abandonment because a lot of people turn their animals loose rather than give them up to a shelter where they may be killed.<ref>[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-martosko_23edi.ART.State.Edition1.4250904.html "PETA, You can stop killing animals now"],Dallas Morning News</ref><ref>[http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/pdf/Open%20Door%20Myth.pdf "No-Kill Myths Debunked"] No kill Advocacy Center</ref>. On August 28, 2007, [[WTVH]]-TV reported that "The Tompkins County SPCA has too many animals to handle." They noted that the shelter had to close for several days and that appointments must be made to surrender animals.<ref>[http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/9435511.html Overcrowding at the SPCA] WTVH, Aug 28, 2007</ref> Collinsville and Jenks, Oklahoma operate no-kill shelters, but routinely send unwanted animals to Tulsa for euthanasia. According to Jenks operations superintendent Gary Head, the city "wants nothing to do with killing dogs....It keeps us low-key and out of the public's eye. We don't have a bad reputation here." Tulsa only charges $1 per animal for euthanasia and accepts about 4000 animals per year from surrounding communities for euthanasia.<ref>[http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080518_11_A1_spancl185565 Unhappy endings]</ref> ===Shelter conditions=== In July 2006 PETA conducted an undercover investigation at All Creatures Great and Small, a no-kill shelter in [[Hendersonville, North Carolina]] and published graphic photos and video of alleged abuse and neglect.<ref>[http://www.peta.org/feat/acgas/index1.asp North Carolina's All Creatures Great And Small: A 'No-Kill Shelter' Exposé] Peta</ref> In October 2007, veterinarians from the N.C. Department of Agriculture investigated the shelter after charges of animal neglect. According to media reports, "the no-kill shelter has failed numerous health and safety inspections."<ref>[http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20071001/NEWS/71001004 State vets examine animals at All Creatures] BlueRidgeNow.com</ref> In December 2007, the state entered into a consent order requiring All Creatures to “work diligently to improve conditions at the Hendersonville no-kill shelter… to release 350 animals to a state-designated animal rescue organization to relieve crowding” and not to admit any new animals for two months.<ref>[http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20071218/NEWS/712180334 Volunteers save felines after All Creatures catches on fire] BlueRidgeNow.com</ref> While no-kill advocates accepts that there are some poorly run no-kill shelters, they consider them exceptions to the norm.<ref>[http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/hsp/soa_ii_chap05.pdf The No-Kill Controversy: Manifest and Latent Sources of Tension] Arnold Arluke, from The State of the Animals II: 2003 ISBN 0-9658942-7-4</ref> They also contend that there are significantly more traditional shelters that are poorly run and that the vast majority of traditional shelters in the country operate under abysmal conditions<ref>[http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/tour/tour1.html Tour of Shelters] No Kill Advocacy Center</ref> There is also the concern that animals who are not adopted from some no-kill shelters are confined for long periods of time in cages{{Fact|date=February 2008}}, however some no-kill shelters are moving towards cageless sheltering with an emphasis towards keeping the animals comfortable<ref>[http://www.sfspca.org/adoption/maddies.shtml "Luxurious Dog and Cat Apartments at San Francisco SPCA"] San Francisco SPCA</ref><ref>[http://www.hermitagecatshelter.org/ "Cageless Comfortable Cat Shelter in Tucson, Arizona]</ref> allowing animals to live for an indefinite period of time. ===Overpopulation issue=== Nathan Winograd of the No Kill Advocacy Center has stated that there is no real pet overpopulation problem and that there are more than enough homes for every dog and cat being killed in shelters every year. He claims that based on data from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, and the latest census that "there aren't just enough homes for the dogs and cats being killed in shelters. There are more homes for cats and dogs opening each year than there are cats and dogs even entering shelters."<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/02/petscol.DTL Is pet overpopulation a myth? Inside Nathan Winograd's "Redemption"] Christie Keith, San Francisco Chronicle, October 2, 2007</ref>. Critics argue that such claims do a disservice to population control efforts by causing some pet owners to refuse spaying and neutering recommendations.<ref>[http://cats.about.com/cs/adoptingcats/a/shelter.htm Adopt a Shelter Cat - Kill or No?] Franny Syufy, cats.about.com</ref> They also point out that such calculations does not take into account the hundreds of thousands of animals sold by breeders and pet stores.<ref>[http://www.helpinganimals.com/f-Winograd-No-Kill.asp Nathan Winograd's Redemption: No-Kill or No Clue?] Peta</ref> While some animal welfare advocates calls for mandatory spay/neuter legislation to curb the overpopulation problem, Winograd and others in the no-kill movement, have consistently opposed it, claiming that such mandatory legislation is ineffective and counterproductive.<ref>[http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/pdf/mandatorylaws.pdf The dark side of mandatory licensing and neuter laws: Why punitive legislation fails] No Kill Advocacy Center</ref>. They feel that better results are achieved by collaboratively working with legitimate breeders and providing low-cost spay/neuter options to low-income people. ===Failed attempts=== In 2008, a humane society in Tacoma, Washington backed away from its no-kill commitment, acknowledging the difficulties encountered in trying to keep animals alive.<ref>http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/updates/story/289583.html</ref>{{Dead link|date=March 2008}} The same year, Winograd withdrew his support from the no-kill efforts of the Philadelphia organization Philly PAWS, which runs the Philadelphia Animal Care & Control Association, claiming mismanagement and complacency. He had been hired in 2005 to review the organization and recommend changes to the clinic.<ref>[http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/02/cautionary-tale-of-almost-victory-in.html A Cautionary Tale of an Almost Victory in Philadelphia] Nathan J. Winograd, nathanwinograd.blogspot.com</ref> ==References== {{reflist|2}} - ==Further reading== - *{{cite book | first=Nathan | last=Winograd| title=Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America | publisher=[[Almaden Books]] | year=2007 | isbn=978-0979074301 }} ==External links== *[http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org No Kill Advocacy Center] Advocacy web site *[http://www.nokillnow.com No Kill NOW] Advocacy web site *[http://www.bestfriends.org/archives/forums/goingnokill.html Going No-Kill] Nathan Winograd statement on how Tompkins SPCA became no-kill over a two year period *[http://www.la-spca.org/dedication/euthanasia.htm Answer to the difficult euthanasia question] Louisiana SPCA's explanation of why they are not a "no-kill" shelter *[http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/hsp/soa_ii_chap05.pdf The No-Kill Controversy: Manifest and Latent Sources of Tension] [http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:rfizSKSyMZAJ:www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/hsp/soa_ii_chap05.pdf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=sg&client=firefox-a (view as HTML)] by Arnold Arluke, from [http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/humane_bookshelf/the_state_of_the_animals_ii_2003.html The State of the Animals II: 2003] ISBN 0-9658942-7-4 [[Category:Animal shelters]]