Last week, two similar stories, in two different parts of the country, struck me about the success of shelters that adopt No Kill philosophies. I've noted before how quickly shelters can turn from high-kill facilities to low-kill (or no kill) facilities by adopting No Kill philosophies, and these two shelters highlight that, indeed, these aren't isolated cases.
Sangamon County(IL) Animal Control
In 2006, the Sangamon County Animal Control (which contains Springfield, the state capitol) killed 1,077 dogs and cats. In order to lower shelter kill rates, they began a low cost spay/neuter clinic.
In 2007, they killed 1,115 dogs and cats.
In 2008, the number of animals killed "dropped" to 861.
In 2009, the shelter killed only 280 dogs and cats.
In 2010, the number became 192.
Since 2007, the shelter has seen an 83% decrease in its kill rate (these numbers are based on healthy/treatable animals killed and don't include sick or animals with behavioral problems).
To what do they credit their success?
Aggressive marketing. More off-site adoption events. Development of a volunteer group that makes the shelter more friendly to potential adopters and provides socialization for the animals. And the low cost spay/neuter clinic. Do these sound familiar?
"The real drop we've seen between 2009 and 2010, I think, is because of the off-site adoptions," said Jane McBride, President of Illinois Humane, a local nonprofit rescue group. "They've also had a good group of volunteers at animal control. They work out there every day, and they make it friendlier and warmer. They socialize with the animals, walk the dogs."
McBride says spay/neuter programs and microchips that lead to animals being reclaimed has also helped. As for off-site adoptions, on a recent Saturday, SCAC had off-site adoption events at three different high-traffic locations. One adoptor noted that the family had been wanting to rescue some kitties, and the time was right, and the convenience of the off-site adoption prompted them to adopt two. I've talked about this before also.
Congrats to the success of SCAC -- and here's to finishing the loop that will end the killing of healthy and treatable animals in your community.
In 2009, Lynchburg, VA Humane Society killed 35% of the animals that came into their shelter. 2010 market the shelter's first year in a transition to a no kill community. In 2010, the shetler save rate was 84% -- decreasing the shelter kill rate by 61% in their first year of the transition. This equates to 421 fewer animals killed -- even during the middle of the down economy.
To what do they owe the increase in save rate?
New programs for rehoming pets
Low Cost Spay/Neuter
Ground-breaking adoption specials
A lot of hard work from volunteers + the community as a whole
"We honestly can't do this life saving work without the help from the community," said Executive Director Makena Yarbrough." That includes everything from donations and volunteering, to owners willing to wait to bring us their pets because they know it gives animals a better chance....last year, 33% of the owners who contacted us to surrender their pet either re-homed them or worked through their problems and decided to keep them, that equals 298 pets."
All of these success stories are the same
What is amazing about all of these success stories is that they are amazingly the same....and they all begin with the leadership at the shelter making the decision to quit killing.
Then, the solutions become obvious. They include providing low cost spay/neuter options. Doing aggressive marketing of the animals that need homes. They include building up a volunteer base and foster homes and doing off-site adoption events. It includes proactive efforts to reunite lost pets with owners and reaching out to the public to ask for their help and support and embracing the community (instead of blaming them for your problems).
This is the model...and it works. Every time. And quickly. And the first step begins with the decision to stop the killing.
Oh but it could never work here, we're different...
Posted by: YesBiscuit! | March 01, 2011 at 09:19 AM
YesBiscuit, some No Kill naysayers argued with me last summer that Houston was different than any other city. (This is while the "shelter" where they volunteer is ignoring every single thing that Nathan Winograd told them to do to stop killing-196 pages worth).
Seems like a common theme among the naysayers.
Posted by: Nokillhouston | March 01, 2011 at 04:57 PM
Thank God, good ...or better news at last! This should carry on and become a role model for NO KILL AT ALL !!!
Posted by: Sara India | March 01, 2011 at 05:19 PM
People who believe "it could never happen here" make sure it doesn't...
Posted by: MichelleD | March 02, 2011 at 09:37 AM
These are all tiny towns though. To really get at the root of the problem in cities that take in tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of dogs, we need a little less breeding, a lot more shelter adoptions, more s/n, and fewer puppy mills!
Posted by: Dan | March 07, 2011 at 06:47 AM
Dan...keep reading this week. Because I'll be updating the results in Austin, which is a pretty large city that is also is seeing no kill success. So it can be done in larger cities.
That said, I don't disagree that more adoption of voluntary low cost spay/neuter programs is definitely something that is important if we are to achieve no kill success.
Posted by: Brent | March 07, 2011 at 08:40 AM