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| Home > No-Kill Shelters Explained |
This page explains how Maddie's Fund defines no-kill, and how
the foundation plans to help guide the nation to the no-kill goal.
Q. The term no-kill is
frequently bandied about, but what exactly is it?
A. As much as anything, no-kill is a rallying cry; a slogan that defines a movement.
The term no-kill clearly and powerfully protests the status quo, that being the
killing of millions of savable animals in our nation’s animal shelters every year.
At the same time, it describes a new approach to animal sheltering and a new commitment
to saving lives within animal welfare organizations.
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Maddie's Fund
No-Kill FAQ
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Q. How does Maddie’s Fund define no-kill?
A. Maddie’s Fund agrees with the generally accepted definition used by no-kill shelters. That is, no-kill
means saving both healthy (adoptable) and treatable dogs and cats, with euthanasia reserved
only for non-rehabilitatable animals.
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Q. The proclaimed goal of Maddie's Fund is to take the
nation no-kill. How do you plan to do that?
A. We want to start by ending the problem described as "too many pets, not enough
homes."To do this, we increase the demand for shelter dogs and cats and reduce
the supply being born. Maddie's Fund is financially supporting collaborative
community projects that build the programs and infrastructure necessary to ensure
that new homes are available for every abandoned dog and cat who is immediately
ready to be placed. Programs might include adoption outreach, new marketing strategies,
advertising, events and promotions that put the animals in front of the adopting public.
Even changes like longer hours, lower adoption fees or adoption incentives can help
build a broad new base of adopters. At the same time, we are financially investing
in efforts that dramatically reduce the supply of unwanted pets through aggressive
spay/neuter programs. By working diligently on both sides of the equation, both
demand and supply, Maddie's Fund plans to leverage its lifesaving investments.
When we reach the juncture where healthy (adoptable) shelter animals can be guaranteed
a home throughout the nation, Maddie's Fund will then focus its resources on funding
programs to rehabilitate the sick, injured and poorly behaved , knowing that when
these animals are whole again, there will be a home waiting for them.
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Q. What are the benefits of an adoption guarantee?
A. An adoption guarantee gives a community confidence that an animal shelter is truly a
shelter, that is, a respite on the way to a new loving home. When this happens, the
community becomes an active partner in saving lives. For example: Maddie’s Fund
believes that many people who abandon their animals on the streets do so because
they fear their family pet will die if surrendered to an animal shelter. This,
then, starts a negative cycle, a cycle that starts with the perception the animal
will die, which leads to people’s fear of using the shelter, which leads to
abandonment on the street, which puts the animal at risk of injury, illness and
uncontrolled breeding. Then, when the animals are impounded as sick and injured
strays, they’re killed at animal control. With an adoption guarantee that says
no healthy (adoptable) cat or dog will die in any community shelter, you break
the cycle. People who find lost animals, who no longer want their animals or
who can no longer keep their animals can have the confidence to bring them into
the shelter, knowing these animal lives will be saved. They won’t abandon them
on the street or leave them tied up in the backyard. And these healthy animals
can then be placed, which then reduces shelter deaths and euthanasia costs.
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Q. Getting back to the term, "no-kill".
It implies that those who practice it are good and those who don’t
are bad. Isn’t this divisive in the animal welfare community?
A. Many animal control agencies and traditional shelters feel that no-kill
makes them look like villains because they kill animals. Those who kill for
merciful reasons shouldn’t be made to feel bad about doing this necessary
and important job. But when killing is used as a management tool to deal
with an "animal surplus," it’s easy to see why the term no-kill might be
uncomfortable. Many traditional shelters feel so threatened by the term,
they’ve gone on the attack to squelch it. They fear that if the public
hears no-kill and believes it’s possible, the community will demand it
of their local shelters.
The bottom line is, the no-kill movement represents a paradigm shift,
a revolution, if you will, in the way we consider and treat companion
animals. No-kill shelters have chosen a path different from traditional
shelters. Their priority is on life, and they refuse to sacrifice an
animal because society says there are too many. It’s a commitment that
directs organizational policy. And when a minority movement like this
gains momentum, those who are put in the position of having to defend
the status quo fight back. The inevitable result is ruffled feathers.
But the term no-kill has truly come to stand for an important principle
and it’s not going to go away.
- No-kill boosts adoptions. Staff in no-kill shelters hear it every
day. "I came to your facility to adopt because you don’t kill animals
here." Just as a growing number of people buy only organic produce or
dolphin safe tuna, there is a growing segment of society that wants to
express deeply held values and beliefs by focusing the search for a
companion animal on no-kill shelters only. Other people go only to
no-kill shelters because traditional shelters make them feel guilty
and depressed. "It really troubles me to see all of those sad eyes
and know that if I don’t adopt, the animal will probably die" is
commonly voiced.
- No-kill attracts and retains more volunteers. In an impersonal
world where people feel more and more isolated, there is a greater longing
for connection. The love given to volunteers by shelter cats and dogs can
provide that connection. But it’s a devastating blow to fall in love with
an animal only to find out he didn’t make it to a loving home. Severing
attachments is never easy and to voluntarily go through it over and over
is not something most people are willing to do. No-kill shelters are able
to attract and retain a high volume of volunteers because people know that
the animals they fall in love with will be adopted and cherished for life.
- No-kill improves staff morale. Imagine a working environment in which
50% of those around you die every day. In wartime, that may be inevitable.
But an animal shelter isn’t a war zone and animals aren’t dying for a noble
or just cause. Killing adoptable and treatable animals is debilitating and
demoralizing for the people who have to do it. The real irony is that people
chose to work at shelters because they love animals and want to help them.
To then have to kill them is devastating. Killing creates stressed out
employees and high turnover among the rest of the staff as well.
- No-kill generates greater community support. Just as our society
is no longer willing to abide by racial discrimination and gender inequality,
we’re also becoming far less tolerant of the mass killing of our best friends
and family members. In many communities, there is a very real bias in support
of life-saving programs and policies. This translates into greater political,
corporate, philanthropic, business and volunteer support of no-kill programs.
- No-kill creates better alignment with charitable mission. In general, animal
welfare organizations want to improve the health and well-being of companion
animals. Articles are written on pet safety (keep the cat indoors), pet health
(vaccinations and spay/neuter) and pet identification. Pet legislation is
advocated, animal cruelty prosecuted. Efforts are made to save lives. But
when humane societies and spca’s kill adoptable and treatable animals,
there’s a troubling disconnect between what the organizations want to do
and what they actually do in practice. By saving all of the adoptable and
treatable cats and dogs, no-kill shelters are able to fulfill their
lifesaving mission. Oftentimes they are even able to reach out beyond
their own facilities to help other community shelters save lives as well.
- No-kill enhances image. Remember the commercial that said, "image is
everything"? In the not-for-profit sector, there is a lot of truth to the statement.
A positive image helps attract donations, volunteers and community support.
A good image is not just built on the accomplishment of good works but on how
well the accomplishment lines up with the charitable mission. Once again, by
saving all of their adoptable and treatable cats and dogs, no-kill shelters
are able to demonstrate to their communities that they are achieving their
lifesaving mission and goals which then enhances the organization’s reputation
of worthiness and success.
- No-kill sharpens and increases management skills. When killing is
an option, it’s tempting to use it as a mechanism for population management.
When killing is not an option, creative solutions simply must be found to find
a home for a 14-year-old canine or a shy kitty that hides when adopters come to
see her. Solving these problems builds staff communication, camaraderie and
cohesiveness since everyone from the executive director to shelter operations
manager, the kennel attendant to the dog trainers must work together to find
a way to get the animal a loving home.
- No-kill generates more funding. People who love animals want to
donate their money to agencies that save animals, not to facilities that
kill them. Those who can clearly articulate their no-kill mission,
demonstrate they’re saving lives, and effectively tell their story to
the entire community will find a reservoir of caring individuals willing
to commit financial resources to help. And no matter how small the no-kill
shelter is, the fact that the animals are saved sends the message that the
organization is a winner - and people want to financially reward success.
- More income=more organizational options. As donations increase,
shelters have more options. They can add groomers and behaviorists to boost
adoptions. They can add spay/neuter, adoption or public awareness outreach.
The list goes on and on. And as more programs and services are added and more
lives are saved, a track record of success is proven and revenue increases
even more.
- Establishes eligibility for a Maddie's Fund grant. Maddie’s Fund
financially supports no-kill shelters only, those agencies who find homes
for and provide comprehensive medial and behavioral care to all adoptable
and treatable animals in their care. Maddie’s Fund grants are designed to
help no-kill organizations create a delivery system of programs and services
that will eliminate the deaths of adoptable cats and dogs community wide,
within 5 years.
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