Is “No-Kill” Ethical?

Posted on by Elizabeth Coalson
Is it ethical for any shelter to turn away animals in need? Some shelters do so daily, but they wear the "no-kill" halo nonetheless. These are also known as "limited-admission" shelters. Our thoughts on this apply to any shelter that turns away animals in need, regardless of the label.Main Issues with "No-Kill"1. It's Misleading: "No-kill" shelters can still euthanize up to 10% of animals and keep the label, which might surprise people. The 90% save rate isn’t based on science - it’s just a number that caught on over time.2. Selective Intake: "No-kill" shelters can (and often do) turn animals...Read More

National Canine in the News – Euthanasia Trending Up in Colorado

Posted on by Elizabeth Coalson
There are only so many ways a shelter can manage its population of animals given the fixed physical space they have to house them. (If you haven't seen our blog post about how animal shelters manage their populations, you can read it here.) One of the ways shelters balance their intake with outcomes is the euthanasia of dogs deemed to be less likely to be adopted. It's a sad, gut-wrenching thing to think about, and the community plays a critical role in keeping more dogs alive. In the first of a two-part series, National Canine assisted our local CBS station...Read More