The following is a reprint of an article from the =
No Kill Advocacy Center<=
/a>
If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill p=
hilosophy and the programs and services that make it a reality, we would sa=
ve nearly four million dogs and cats who are scheduled to
die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an im=
possible dream.
A National Tragedy
We are a nation of cat and dog lovers. But the shelters we expect t=
o provide these animals with a second chance are instead killing millions o=
f them every year. And for far too long, we have been told that there=
is no other way. More than that, we have been told that the killing =
is exclusively the public's fault. That shelters—through no fau=
lt of their own—are merely performing the public's dirty work—w=
ith skill,
compassion, and dedication. Nothing could be further from the truth=
.
This year, roughly four million dogs and cats—and countless other a=
nimals—will be put to death in our nation's animal shelter. The=
ir only "crime" is that they have no human address. Others may be=
sick or injured, but they could be saved with little effort. Unfortu=
nately, they, too, will be killed. And still others are feral c=
ats who should never enter shelters in the first place. But the=
re is hope.
A Reason for Hope
In the last decade, several progressive shelters have put into place a bo=
ld series of lifesaving programs and services which have dramatically reduc=
ed the death rate in their communities. The resulting success proves =
that there is a formula for lifesaving, and that if we are to achieve a No =
Kill nation, it is incumbent upon shelters nationwide to embrace the progra=
ms and services which have been proven to save lives.
Join the Crusade
But the challenges we face are great. From entrenched bureaucrats w=
ho are content with the status quo, to uncaring shelter directors hostile t=
o calls for reform; from agencies mired in the failed philosophies of the p=
ast to those who have internalized a culture of defeatism—the road bl=
ocks to No Kill are substantial, but not insurmountable. We have a ch=
oice. We can fully, completely and without reservation embrace No Kil=
l as our future. Or we can continue to legitimize the two-prong strat=
egy of failure: adopt a few and kill the rest. It is a choice which history=
has thrown upon us. And a challenge that the No Kill Advocacy Center=
is ready to take on.
The No Kill Advocacy Center<=
/a> is the nation's first =
organization dedicated solely to the promotion of a No Kill nation. &n=
bsp; And it is the only national animal welfare agency that is staffed by p=
eople who have actually worked in and created a No Kill community.
The power to change the status quo is in our hands. To find out mor=
e and to be placed on their mailing list, please visit: http://www.nokillad=
vocacycenter.org/
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