The term “No-Kill” was seldom used before the 1970s. However, as early as the late 1800s, certain animal shelters refused to euthanize healthy and treatable animals. The term “No-Kill” is now a topic of regular discussion among animal welfare advocates, and an active no-kill movement is currently spreading across our nation. At a 2016 national conference, the Best Friends organization announced the goal of achieving a no-kill nation by 2025 (1).
Yet a great deal of work had already been accomplished. Work that made achieving no-kill a reasonable goal in 2016. Between 1970 and 2016, the number of pets killed annually at shelters had been reduced from 20 million to 1.5 million (2,3). Between 2016 and 2023, the number of dogs and cats killed annually was further reduced to 415,000 (4). This is a remarkable improvement, but we’re still not at our goal of creating a no-kill nation for our pets. Some areas of the country are doing much better than others. As mentioned in our last blog article, North Carolina and Wayne County are lagging far behind in their efforts.
Let’s face it, our state is not doing well in this battle. In 2021 data from U.S. animal shelters, North Carolina ranked second in percentage of shelter animals killed and third in actual numbers of animals killed. Five states (Texas, California, North Carolina, Florida, and Alabama) accounted for more than half of all shelter animals killed (5). 2023 statistics showed that statewide, 26% of the animals entering NC shelters were killed. Wayne County was doing much worse. Forty-one percent of the dogs and cats entering the shelter were killed (6).
There remains some controversy over the use of the term No-Kill. The controversy is largely over how to define the term and measure success. One concern is the fact that many no-kill shelters are limited-access shelters. What this means is that once their shelter is full, they won’t accept any more dogs or cats. If there are no other shelters in the area to take lost and unwanted pets, what happens to them when the no-kill shelter is full? Is their ultimate fate death by starvation, traffic accident or disease? And if that is their fate, then is the shelter really no-kill? The community certainly isn’t a no-kill community.
Definition of No-Kill
According to Veternarians.org, no-kill shelters are shelters that ensure every adoptable dog and cat stays in the shelter or in foster care until they are re-homed. Overcrowding or lack of resources will not result in the killing of adoptable animals. No-kill shelters only euthanize animals that have untreatable medical conditions or behavioral issues. This category of animals should represent less than 10% of the animals entering the shelter. Therefore, an animal shelter that saves 90% or more of the animals is considered no-kill. Some animal welfare organizations feel the goal should be at least 95%. They believe that it is possible to rehabilitate many shelter animals diagnosed with untreatable behavioral problems. Can the temperament of a dog or cat be accurately evaluated in a shelter? An animal shelter can be a frightening, stressful place for an animal. They face many stressors, including confinement, noise, disruption of routines, unaccustomed surroundings, and unfamiliar people and animals.
Moving Toward No-Kill
The path to no-kill requires community involvement. Government-funded animal shelters can’t do it alone. They are often under-funded and under-staffed. Local governments are often disinterested in the issue and fail to provide shelters the money and resources they need. We need to ask our local elected government officials and candidates where they stand on animal welfare issues. If they won’t help, we need to elect ones that will.
The local animal shelter needs to actively seek community involvement and help. Active, open communication and transparent actions are required. However, many shelters are resistant to such efforts, afraid of criticism of shelter conditions and their pet outcome statistics.
When local government and government-controlled animal shelters fail in their responsibility for our companion animals, it is up to the community to force the change.
The No-Kill path includes:
High-volume, low-cost sterilization, including the sterilization of community cats. By reducing pet overpopulation, we can ensure each pet can find a forever home.
Assistance to people experiencing hardship, that allows them to keep their animals in their homes.
Comprehensive adoption programs. The shelter should provide an adoption program that is responsive to the needs of the community — including offsite adoption locations and evening and weekend adoption hours accessible to working families.
Shelter partnership with local rescue groups is critical. A transfer of an animal to a rescue group frees up critical space at a shelter.
Shelter partnerships with local volunteers to socialize and network animals for adoption or rescue.
Proactive efforts to get lost animals back to their homes, through both shelter and community action.
A foster care network for sick, injured, traumatized, and orphaned animals.
Training programs aimed at rehabilitation of animals with behavior concerns. At a minimum, maintain “libraries” of fact sheets on pet care and behavior issues at the shelter or online.
Public relations, marketing and community engagement
Legislative support for community programs.
It is crucial to remember that the most important component to achieving the no-kill goal is to reduce pet intake by the shelter and local volunteer organizations. Fewer animal impounded means less strain on foster homes, kennel space, volunteers and staff, and an overall reduced effort to save lives. High-volume, low-cost sterilization—including the sterilization of community cats—decreases the number of dogs and cats in the community. Finding a home for a dog in a shelter will save one dog. Sterilizing one dog can potentially save hundreds.
We live in a nation that loves its pets. In 2023, 66% of American households had a pet (7). Ninety-seven percent of pet owners considered pets to be members of their families. Fifty-one percent considered their pets to be as much a part of the family as a human member (8).
The lost and abandoned pets in our nation can’t speak for themselves. They are unable to plead for their lives. It is up to us to speak and act for them.
2. Behind the big drop in euthanasia for America’s dogs and cats. https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0210/Behind-the-big-drop-in-euthanasia-for-America-s-dogs-and-cats
3. No-kill 2025 halftime report. https://bestfriends.org/stories/julie-castle-blog/no-kill-2025-halftime-report
4. Let’s end the killing every shelter and every community in 2025. https://bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025 .
5. Animal Shelter Statistics: State Rankings and Nationwide Data. https://www.veterinarians.org/animal-shelter-statistics/
6. North Carolina animal shelter statistics. https://bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/animal-shelter-statistics/north-carolina
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