What Does

No-Kill

Mean?

Our Animal Charity Supports the No-Kill Animal Movement Through Advocacy and Resources

The best animal charites support No-Kill dog shelters.

The best animal charites support No-Kill cat shelters.

"No-Kill" is not easily defined. The goal of the No-Kill animal shelter movement is to end the killing of all animals who are not irremediably suffering or aggressive. In other words, we believe an animal that can be helped through medical intervention or behavior modification is entitled to humane, life-affirming treatment.

Lots of animal rescue charities and animal shelters claim to be "No-Kill Shelters" - but that doesn't necessarily mean that they meet the criteria established by No Kill Advocacy Center.

At NJ STRAYS, we work with pet owners to find lost or missing pets before they enter the shelter system. Our mission to reduce animal shelter intake is a key factor in helping No-Kill and would-be No-Kill animal shelters and pounds by enabling them to provide quality of life to the dogs and cats in their care.

True No-Kill animal shelters and rescues commit to the physical and emotional well-being of animals. Their treatable dog and cat populations include pets across the spectrum. They can be:

Healthy
Social with humans
Aggressive
Feral
Orphaned
Pregnant, in utero or mothering newborns
Exposed to or suffering from a treatable illness
Poorly socialized, shy or traumatized
Surrendered for euthanasia but not beyond effective medical intervention
All ages, colors, sizes and breeds

There is no standard stray dog or cat. Just like people, pets are unique...and deserving of compassion.

No-Kill is NOT:

Saving an Aggressive Animal That Can't Be Rehabilitated

Letting Pets Languish Inside Shelters for Years on End

Placing Animals Into Just Any Home Without Regard for the Well-Being of People and Pets

Hiding Information About a Pet to Facilitate Adoption

Selective Rescue Based on Age, Breed, Gender or

Condition

Ignoring Local Stray Pet Populations in Favor of

Out-of-State Rescue and Transfer Efforts

Choose to Support the No-Kill Animal Shelter Movement Today With Help From These Resources

Guiding Principles

Wanting to call yourself "No-Kill" and actually being a No-Kill animal shelter are two different things. No Kill Animal Advocacy's guidelines can help clarify the way true No-Kill shelters operate.

Define No-Kill

Helping Traumatized Animals

Animals can be quite resilient...just like us. When exposed to abuse and trauma, there are ways to rehabilitate some of the most wounded dogs and cats in animal shelters.

Heal Pet Trauma

Evaluating for Euthanasia

It's not always easy to determine which illnesses are treatable, and which are irremediable. No Kill Animal Advocacy's downloadable matrix can help animal caregivers make good choices.

Save a Life

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