KC Pet Project logs 12 months of No Kill Success

On July 1, 2013, KC Pet Project officially achieved 12 consecutive months as a no kill shelter.

Our little organization took over operations of the Kansas City, MO shelter in January 2012. The shelter is a completely open-admission shelter serving the entire city of Kansas City (population 460,000).  

The shelter had gone through a couple of different stages of management in recent years, some public, some private. As recently as 2008, 62% of the animals that entered the shelter were euthanized. 

While quite a bit of improvement had been made, there was a long way to go.

In our first year with the shelter, we finished 2012 with an 86% live release rate. This was a huge improvement over previous years. This also came after a run of 6 straight months above 90% at the end of the year.

Through the first 6 months of this year, the success continued. 

In the 12 months, July 1 2012 through June 30, 2013 KC Pet Project achieved a 91.3% live release rate for dogs and cats. During that time, we adopted out 3,730 animals (more than a 100% increase in adoptions), reunited 1,035 with their owners, and transferred another 1,280 to other shelters and rescue groups -- totalling more than 6,000 positive outcomes on the year.

By my best calculations, I believe the feat makes KC Pet Project the 4th largest open-admission no kill shelter in the country. 

We're no doubt thrilled with achieving this -- but I dare say we're in no place to say "mission accomplished". No kill is a journey, not a destination. As with any open-admission shelter, we continue to see a lot of animals coming through our doors. Our shelter is small, and very outdated, and these limitations add to the challenges. 

 We continue to need support from the community and our partners in helping us sustain. We continue to need the community support by adopting, helping keep animals out of the shelter, their volunteer time and their donations. We continue to need rescue support in helping us with the placement of dogs and cats -- particularly some of the the larger and more challenging ones.  And we have many neighboring communities that have very bad laws for pets (strict pet limits, prohibition of TNR, breed bans) that make for pet population issues in the area. Some of our own city laws are outdated and regressive.

I can't say enough about what a huge team effort this has been. We have an amazingly talented staff that works day in and day out at the shelter. We have continued to build a team that buys into the vision and mission of the organization and works miracles daily. Several of our team members -- you know who you are -- have been with us from the beginning; including some of the very rough early months. Thank you for hanging in there. 

And we have developed an amazing team of volunteers who never cease to amaze me with their spirit and dedication. 

And we've had a few friends, some old, some new, that have come in and provided a lot of guidance, advice and moral support. I'm not sure we could have done it without you.  

Thanks to everyone who has bought in, helped, laughed, cried and supported us along the way. 

Now, on with the journey.

Comments

[Jan]

A huge congratulations to all of you. What a great effort this has been. May your journey continue.

[Jen Brighton]

I am so proud of all of you! Great work bu people who care about animals and making a difference.

[Tami Desmond]

great job!! congrats!

[john zolis]

amazing work

[pitbull friend]

INCREDIBLE!!! Keep up the amazing work, folks!

[Dani]

Wonderful job & Wonderful news!

[Julie Wall]

Can I get the list of where 1,280 animals were transfered to?

[Marcy McReynolds of CO]

I'm thrilled to read this. I was born near KC (many years ago) and we all know MO does not have a good reputation for animal welfare. This is extremely good news and proof from one more shelter that no-kill is possible. Kudos!

[Buddy2Blogger]

Great news. Glad to see more and more shelters adopting the No-Kill Equation to save the lives of companion animals.

B2B.

[Brent]

Thanks everyone. Julie, the transfers went out to probably around 60 different rescue organizations. Some large. Some small. Some all-breed rescues. Some specific breed rescues. Most of them in our area but we do have a few out-of state rescues we work with. We do make sure we know a fair amount about these groups to be sure they're going to a reputable place.

[Tom Steele]

That's so wonderful! Heaven and earth smile upon no-kill shelters. And as it is pointed out, no-kill shelters are a process, not a be-all and end-all goal. We should all be working toward many more no-kill shelters.

[Cheryl Huerta]

Way to go KC Pet Project. I do everything I can to get the word out about you to the shelters I connect with as a pit bull advocate. Many shelter administrators and workers will say that no-kill is a lie or at the very least isn't possible but you are showing that it is achievable and you are doing it.

If there is one thing I'd like to see is a change from calling it 'no-kill' to 'no/low-kill' because calling it 'no-kill' creates a point of contention that seems to be an obstacle for some shelters to even explore the possibility. I've seen so many people, who act as if they must defend what their shelter does, who rather than discuss what is possible simply go around trying to convince everyone that 'no-kill' is NOT possible...so why try?

Good on you all for your dedication and hard work. Thousands of animals have you to thank for their lives and thousands of families have you to thank for their beloved family pet!

[parhiscan]

Keep up the great work

[Mary Ann]

Cheryl, but if you look at the definition of No Kill it is possible. Not killing healthy, treatable animals; only kindly euthanizing those animals who are suffering irremediably from illness, injury or untreatable aggression. I think it's more of people needing to understand the definition and that killing is different than euthanizing.

[db]

Congratulations on walking the walk! The animals you've saved and the people who love them appreciate your decision to not kill.

[Stickmantoo]

Congratulations Brent and the entire KC Pet Project team and your supporters. An amazing achievement and a significant milestone on the No Kill journey. Best wishes for continued success!

[linda taylor woods]

You and the whole team are an inspiration to all ! Thank you for this great achievement, and good wishes for continued success! Hats OFF !!

[Karen F]

Congratulations to everyone involved -- such an achievement!

[Christine]

The leadership of your group and the growing number of successful communities shows what's possible when a proven, comprehensive approach, progressive attitudes and newer info is used. Congratulations on all your hard work and lives saved!

Hopefully the Powers That Be will look at the newer info and change the regressive laws like so many places are doing. This will benefit public safety and save taxpayers money as well as get more pets registered with ID, more lost ones back home with their families, and otherwise save lives.

The huge majority, 71 percent, of the public believe "Animal shelters should only be allowed to euthanize animals when they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be adopted."

As Christie Keith said, "We are the 71 percent".

Onward and upward!

[kmk]

congratulations on all your success despite the city's best efforts to make things difficult for KC Pet Project!

[Don F.]

Congratulations! ONe question: is this shelter required to accept dogs brought in by law enforcement, AC, and as private surrenders?

[Brent]

Don -- Yes. KC Pet Project has a contract with the city to take in all animals from animal control, as well as all public drop-offs (strays/owner surrenders) from residents of our community.