08/23/2023
This explains why 90% is not really no-kill because it is based on faulty data.
“Irremediable suffering” means an animal who has a poor or grave prognosis for being able to live without severe, unremitting physical pain even with prompt, necessary, and comprehensive veterinary care.
Some organizations have argued that shelters can kill up to 10% of animals and still be No Kill, but that argument does not withstand scrutiny. The guideline that about 10% of animals who enter shelters are irremediably suffering was promulgated in 2008 with a minimal data set. At the time, less than a handful of communities with placement rates between 92% and 95%, and many illnesses, like parvovirus, had a poor to grave prognosis for recovery.
Today, these once-fatal diseases have a good to excellent prognosis. Additionally, understanding of and the ability of shelters to rehabilitate dogs once considered dangerous has vastly improved. As a result, communities across the country are successfully placing 99% of the animals. By current veterinary and behavior standards, roughly 1% of animals entering shelters are dangerous dogs and irremediably suffering animals.
You do not judge today’s results by yesterday’s standards.
Learn more: nokilladvocacycenter.squarespace.com/the-toolkit/defining-no-kill.
