The No Kill Advocacy Center has just completed a review of nationwide statistics regarding the intake and disposition of animals in American shelters. Nathan is, as far as I’m concerned, America’s foremost advocate of rescue cats and dogs fighting to eliminate euthanasia at shelters nationwide through better and innovative management.
In an email to me he says that the number of dogs and cats killed in US shelters now stands at 2.6m, which is down from about 4m five years ago. The important point that he makes is that this figure is the lowest ever. This should please all concerned American citizens.
He says that it is useful to make a comparison to the early 1970s when as many a 20m animals were killed annually at shelters in the USA. The current figure represents an 87% reduction. I suppose you could argue that the figure from the 1970s is so high that it would be was impossible not to reduce it but the level of reduction is impressive. I think we have to give Mr Winograd a big pat on the back for his part in tirelessly fighting in behalf of rescued animals at shelters.
Throughout America, almost 80% of dogs entering shelters are being saved for the first time ever. And more cats are being saved than killed. There are millions of people in the USA who have a local animal shelter which is saving up to over 98% of the animals in their care.
However, he stresses that the needless killing of healthy and treatable animals continues in many American shelters despite the existence of alternatives which the management of the shelters refuse to embrace. He is referring to sterilization of community dogs and cats, working with rescue groups and foster care as examples.
He makes it clear that the numbers of animals dying in American shelters has been and is continuing to decline. Many shelters have embraced innovative ways to reduce the killing of healthy and treatable animals while others refuse to embrace new ideas. Innovative ideas have had a dramatic positive impact on the nation’s overall save rate, he says.
He is encouraged by the progress. He hopes that we are as well; people involved in trying to save the lives of rescue animals. It’s been a long road it seems to me but changes are being made and he says that progress has been “implemented over the objections of the National groups who were forced to evolve their positions to embrace ours.”
He wants people to continue advocating, legislating and demanding shelter reform to push the envelope further.
Please visit his website.
Nathan is the author of Redemption (a fantastic book) and a passionate no-kill activist.
No-Kill Rescues have paid staff, volunteers, adopters, fosters in their network who ensure cats are happy — keeping cats in crates 23 hrs pr day, 7 days a week is unacceptable & beyond cruel — I hope this is NOT the norm in your neck of the woods and an ABERRATION at that.
Thanks MS for your comment.
What is the number of dogs leaving kill shelters going to no kill rescues. We call them hoarders around here. Living in crates 23 hours a day for months on in some cases years.
Successful exodus from a shelter is only valid when the animal is the primary pet in a household or a long term until adopted foster.
I’m happy that Nathan is happy, for sure.
I, seriously, question his stats.
In particular, it’s hard to believe that 80% of dogs entering a shelter are saved.
I’m confused as to whether he is referring to private no-kill shelters or the dreaded county kill shelters or both.
I would like to hear him elaborate on what innovative methods kill shelters have come up with to reduce their euthanasia rates, because I’m not seeing any.
What I believe to be true is that TNR, along with its rules of “no touch Animal Control” has made an impact on the number of cat euthanasia today
I believe the stats to be accurate — there has been improvement over recent years — he DOES in fact make mention that there is still work to be done — that NOT ALL Shelters have yet complied — our work is still cut out for us — let’s keep working to ensure more & more animals are rescued, TNR’d, adopted.
Thanks again MS.
Thank God for Nathan!!
Yes, I think he is a great man. He is very thoughtful and intelligent. His book is quite hard going but very important.