As the No Kill revolution makes tremendous gains, regressive
national groups and shelters spread misinformation in their
bid to defend the killing paradigm they established. Knowledge
is power. Learn the truth and help spread the word.
Get a Ph.D. in Saving Lives
Why are some shelters still killing in the face of alternatives, while others save all but hopelessly ill animals? Why does one shelter send thousands of animals every year into foster care, while other shelters do not? Why does one shelter seek out rescue groups, while other shelters kill animals these groups are offering to save? Why do some shelters neuter and release feral cats, while others not only oppose such efforts, but send officers out to write citations to cat lovers who do?
In short, given that there are now No Kill communities all over the U.S. all using a proven model of success, why do some shelters continue killing in the face of these readily available lifesaving alternatives?
Here’s your crash course in Animal Sheltering 101:
Audio/Visual Tour: Be a witness to the truth about what life and death is like inside your local animal shelter.
No Kill by the Numbers: How many animals are going in, going out alive vs. dead, and how many people want to adopt.
The No Kill Equation: The only model which has successfully created No Kill communities. If you want success, this is the only way to go.
Leadership: National study shows that it is not geography, the public, or other external factors that determine rates of lifesaving, but the decisions made by those running the shelters.
Legislation: Why we need shelter reform legislation.
The Decade That Changed Everything: Look at how far the No Kill movement has come in just the last decade.
The Past is Prologue: Americans are capable of great change and great compassion. We need to give them the opportunity to express that through the force of law.
Open Door Myth: An "open door" shelter should not be an open door to the killing of animals.
Misusing Temperament Tests: How shelters lie to the public by claiming they are doing a better job than they are.
Failing the American Pit Bull Terrier: A much maligned dog is betrayed by those who are supposed to be his protector.
The Wild Life of the Cat: Why “feral cats” have a right to live.
Shelter Access & Collaboration Survey: Shelters kill the very animals that rescue groups are willing to save.
Scandals:Too many shelters neglect and abuse animals in their care.
It's Not the Economy: Kill shelters blame other factors for their own failures. The latest excuse: the downturned economy.
Reforming Animal Control: How to end the killing in your community, a series of important documents and guides from the No Kill Advocacy Center.
The Companion Animal Protection Act: Join Delaware (in part) and other communities by legislating an end to regressive shelter practices. (Read about the Delaware version.)
Bipartisanship: Republican, Democrat, rich or poor, we all want to build a better world for companion animals.
The U.S. No Kill Declaration: Behind every revolution is a statement of rights. This is ours.
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If you like Nathan's articles, you'll love his books. Redemption and Irreconcilable Differences are the most acclaimed books on animal shelters ever written, and combined have won seven national book awards. Visit his bookstore by clicking here.
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Comments
Great article. You should be the official USA National Shelter Czar.
please read Desperation Aboard the RMS Mancuso from Nathans blog. One of his best ones!
Yes the no kill movement is everywhere!!!
Let's face the real issue here. Puppymills (and similar for other animals). Why if we have some many in shelters are we actively trying to breed more? Recent numbers I've found show the approximate numbers of dogs killed each year is reasonably close to the estimates of what puppymills churn out. Stop the mills, problem solved.
Puppymills are cruel. Puppymills are evil. Puppymills should be closed down. But puppymills are not the reason why animals are being killed in shelters. Not only are the numbers clear on that score, but Gary's claim ignores the fact that since No Kill has been achieved across the country, including in communities with some of the highest per capita intake rates, there are enough homes for shelter animals--if shelter managers cared enough to work hard to find those animals homes.
I sure wish we could get Delaware's and California's "Oreo's Law" in Minnesota. I'm getting the crap kicked out of me here just by suggesting such a thing.
We have 7 - count them 7 - high-kill shelters here in Minnesota. 5 are private, 2 are government run. All are open admission.
The private ones kill almost 40% of their "shelters." Get this, they pull 3-4,000 animals a year from southern shelters while killing 3 times that many in their own state - ALL THE WHILE REFUSING TO WORK WITH LOCAL RESCUES.
Who knew there were that many dogs and cats in Minnesota?
Maybe no-kill could come and join me and Mike Fry at Animal Ark to take on these killing machines?
:-)
Hi Gary,
By making shelters more welcoming to the public, puppy mills would be forced out of business or at least a huge part of them. Why? Because most people would be getting their forever friends from shelters. Let's work on our shelters as in reforming them to what they were originally formed to be. Fix the shelters, problem solved. :) :)
RE: Puppy mills vs. shelters. Puppy mills are suppliers for pet stores that sell animals. You also need to address that issue - banning the selling of animals - in order to eliminate puppy mills and get more people into shelters to adopt.
Puppymills are horrid. They are cruel. They are evil. They NEED to be closed down. And while closing them down might not save all the millions of dogs being killed, it would be a HUGE step in the right direction. Not to mention saving the poor dogs from being born in a puppymill under horrendous conditions.
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