How and Why No-Kill Shelters Work

From Nathan J. Winograd's Blog:

Revisiting the No Kill Equation

August 24, 2009 by Nathan J. Winograd

"Two decades ago, the concept of a No Kill community was little more than a dream. Today, it is a reality in many cities and counties nationwide and the numbers continue to grow... Washoe County Animal Services in Reno, Nevada, for example, returned seven percent of lost cats and 60 percent of lost dogs to their homes in 2007... These efforts in Washoe County, combined with an over 50 percent increase in the adoption rate in the community thanks to the Nevada Humane Society, has resulted in a 93 percent communitywide rate of shelter lifesaving for dogs and almost 90 percent for cats year-to-date in 2009. The difference between the average community and Washoe County is striking, but even more so because this latter community is still only scratching the surface of what can be accomplished in terms of redemption rates. Some communities in the United States have achieved a nearly 65 percent reclaim rate for stray dogs... The reclaim rate for cats can—and should—match these, rather than remain at deplorably low national averages... This not only shows how the achievement of a No Kill community is well within our reach, it demonstrates how modernization of shelter practices by bringing them in line with the No Kill Equation can yield dramatic declines in killing virtually overnight..."

Note: "Nathan J. Winograd is a graduate of Stanford Law School, a former criminal prosecutor and corporate attorney, has spoken nationally and internationally on animal sheltering issues, has written animal protection legislation at the state and national level, has created successful No Kill programs in both urban and rural communities, and has consulted with a wide range of animal protection groups including some of the largest and best known in the nation."

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Aksum Notes:
Nathan Winograd is one of my heroes. He has helped the fate of shelter animals both firsthand and also by teaching and through example nationwide. He is the number one No Kill Shelter advocate in the country. In this article, he again advocates a very detailed plan for shelters to change over to No Kill methods.