The No-Kill Movement: We are the 71 percent

We can argue all we want about what "no-kill" really means, whether it's about shelters or communities. Whether it's impossible or provably possible. About whether it's saving 90 percent or 98 percent or some strange and complicated definition involving highly subjective concepts like "adoptable."

What we can't argue about is this: The overwhelming majority of Americans -- 71 percent -- believe that shelters should not be allowed to kill any homeless pets unless they are too sick to be saved or too aggressive to be kept as pets.

That's what an Associated Press-Petside poll conducted by GfK Roper found in October when it asked 1,118 people in 50 states to identify which of two statements matched their own view.

Seventy-one percent said they believed  "Animal shelters should only be allowed to euthanize animals when they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be adopted."

Only 25 percent believed "Sometimes animal shelters should be allowed to euthanize animals as a necessary way of controlling the population of animals."

I know the history of animal sheltering in this country. I know how it came about that those who should have been tasked with sheltering, caring for, and showing compassion to homeless pets became their biggest killers.

But I also know the day when society found that acceptable is over. Completely and utterly over. Outdated, unwanted, increasingly unthinkable. Seventy-one percent of Americans know it, too. And those who insist it's impossible have now officially joined the ranks of those who never thought we'd have openly gay soliders or a black president.

In the battle for hearts and minds of nearly three-quarters of the people who live in this nation, no-kill won.

 

Comments

[YesBiscuit!]

This calls for cake!

[Tina Clark]

And now our job is to make that 71 percent understand what No Kill really means. I've spoken to so many people who say they don't believe it's right to kill animals in shelters, but then in the next breath talk about overpopulation and the irresponsible public. But at least this shows we have a receptive audience.

[Christie]

Tina, I'm not following you... it sounds like the 71 percent knows EXACTLY what it means: Not killing dogs and cats unless they're too sick to be saved or too dangerous to be adopted. Even if they still "believe in" overpopulation or "the irresponsible public," that doesn't change it, does it?

[Kathleen]

Yea, Christie!! I am reposting this on Fresno's No Kill page. I hope you are following the progress we are making. Here's a link to an editorial from one of our Council Members that was just published in our local paper. The Council is pushing for open meetings at our shelter. http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/12/20/2656167/clint-olivier-fresno-animal-control.html#storylink=cpy

[Diane Hatfield]

Here in Columbus,Ga. we have a high kill Animal Control. They are now using too sick and too aggressive as an excuse to kill !!! In April 155 dogs were killed and 197 cats !!! We have a Happy Homes group and a No Kill Columbus group trying to get them to follow the No Kill Equation....wish us luck and balls !!!