Animal Care Services achieved a record 90% live release rate for all animals brought into the shelter in December, making San Antonio the largest U.S. city to meet the national “No Kill” standard, and shelter officials predicted they will equal that achievement when the January numbers are complete.
The national “No Kill” standard limits euthanization of animals to those “that are so sick or behaviorally impaired as to not be adoptable.” ACS officials attributed the high “No Kill” rate to the shelter’s collaborations with local rescue organizations which offer pet placement services and education for new animal owners.
“San Antonio’s No Kill status has never been a destination, but a journey,” stated ACS Director Kathy Davis. “This historic record gets us one step closer towards making our city more humane for pets, but it takes the everyday effort from all of us to sustain our successes and build on them.”
The shelter takes in 30,000 animals on average each year, but officials said canine numbers are growing. According to ACS officials, 300 more dogs were brought to the shelter last month as compared to the same time in 2014. To learn more about the shelter’s adoption services visit www.saacs.net.
San Antonio remains a city plagued by stray dogs in many inner city neighborhoods, a situation caused mostly by pet owners who have not registered their animals and allow them to roam and breed freely rather than a lack of enforcement or outreach programs by animal care services.
*Top Image: Dr. Marilyn Gotbeter, chief veterinarian with the City of San Antonio’s ACS, cares for a puppy. Image courtesy of ACS.
Related Stories:
Animal Care Services Report Record No-Kill Numbers
