No Kill Model
Revolutionizing Sheltering to Stop the Killing
PAWS Chicago is part of a revolution—a No Kill
revolution—that started in San Francisco in
1994 and is now sweeping across the nation.
This No Kill movement, still in its infancy,
has challenged the methods of traditional animal
sheltering, which for centuries has involved
managing pet overpopulation by killing the surplus
of homeless pets. Dedicated to the principle
of valuing each individual animal while simultaneously
focusing on big picture strategic solutions,
the
No Kill method is expanding its role in
cities and counties across America.
Here is the story of animal sheltering
and the rise of No Kill, with articles
unraveling the differences between
traditional and No Kill sheltering methods.
The public is now empowered to require the
agencies they support to offer life, not
death, to the defenseless cats, dogs,
puppies, and kittens who are entrusted to
their care.
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The History of Sheltering
In the second half of the nineteenth century,
humane societies began to take over the killing
of stray and unwanted populations of cats and
dogs. They wanted to eradicate the cruel methods
of animal control at the time, which commonly
resorted to clubbing, shooting, or drowning
companion animals to death. But when private
shelters accept the role of killing, who is
to advocate for life?
For more than a century, traditional humane
societies have been entrenched in the “cage
and kill” philosophy, taking in all animals
and killing the surplus. Because of the history
of cruel methods of animal control, these traditional
shelters have accepted death as a humane alternative
for homeless cats and dogs. For more than 100
years, these traditional methods did little
to eliminate pet overpopulation.
For example, despite the existence of traditional
shelters in Chicago for more than a century,
the number of homeless pets killed in 1997 was
a staggering 42,561. If traditional methods
worked, pet overpopulation would not continue
to plague our country’s homeless pets. In contrast,
since PAWS Chicago took the No Kill message
public with Angels with Tails in 1998, and with
the help of all the wonderful Chicagoans who
have rallied to help homeless pets, the killing
has been reduced by more than half with 19,701
pets euthanized in 2006.
The Advent of No Kill
With the unfortunate reality that an ever
increasing number of homeless dogs and cats
were put to death, changing the direction of
the tide was a huge undertaking. It would
take vision, leadership, direction, and
proof that lifesaving methods work to change
the methodology of traditional sheltering. As Executive Director of the San
Francisco ASPCA, Richard Avanzino brought all
of the necessary ingredients together in San
Francisco, and by 1994 he had built the first
No Kill city.
 No longer could humane societies
claim the en masse killing of homeless dogs
and cats was necessary. Through innovative programs,
proactive adoptions, and many years of focused,
targeted spay/ neuter, San Francisco created
a progressive No Kill model that saves all animals;
the only warranted euthanasia is for animals
who are irremediably suffering, or those who
are vicious and pose a threat to the public.
But despite San Francisco’s proven track
record of saving—not killing—homeless animals,
many shelters and communities have not yet embraced
the No Kill model. Many shelters and communities
continue to kill homeless cats and dogs, rather
than work to change the ineffective status quo.
But the No Kill tide has already begun to swell.
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