June 11, 2013 will be the safest day ever for dogs and cats in U.S. shelters.
The No kill Advocacy center and Minnesota’s animal Ark shelter teamed up and asked shelters across the country to stop killing healthy animals for Just One Day.
Just One Day
About 10,000 healthy or treatable dogs and cats are killed on a daily basis in U.S. animal shelters, according to animal Ark. However, that won’t be the case on June 11 because much more than 1,000 organizations have taken a pledge to participate in just One Day.
Animal Ark predicts much more than 10,000 animals will be saved, because for just One Day participating shelter workers will:
put down their needles and pick up cameras
take pictures and market the animals to the public
host special adoption events with discounted rates (such as the photo above, from animal Ark)
stay open for extended hours
contact rescue groups
ask community members to help out
Pet ‘overpopulation’
Shelter killing is usually blamed on so-called pet “overpopulation,” according to animal Ark. However, there are actually enough homes wanting new animals to guarantee all shelter animals get adopted. It’s about policy changes in shelters.
In fact, much more than 300 U.S. cities have already ended shelter killing, making up much more than 156 no-kill communities, according to animal Ark.
Some of those cities saving 90 percent or much more of all shelter animals include Duluth, Minn.; Reno, Nev.; Boulder, Colo.; Jackson, Wyo.; and Eugene, Ore., according to OutTheFrontDoor.com, which files no-kill communities.
“Just one day provides other shelters an opportunity to experience the fun, delight and excitement these other shelters experience regularly,” according to animal Ark.
An entire state has even embraced just One Day.
In Coloroado, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a proclamation deeming June 11 to be just one day Colorado – a day of no shelter killing statewide, according to animal Ark.
Locally in my city of Fargo, N.D., the Humane society Fargo-Moorhead and CATS Cradle shelter have taken the pledge to participate in just One Day.
“When you make it easy for people to do the best thing, terrific things happen,” said Nathan Winograd, director of the No kill Advocacy Center. “You empty the shelter the good way.”
Pictured is my foster cat Tumbler, up for adoption through CATS Cradle shelter in Fargo, N.D. He is about 5 years old, declawed, good with other animals and very affectionate. Edit: Tumbler has been adopted!
