The No Kill movement brought awareness to the unspeakably large numbers of animals being euthanized every day in our country and even put together an amazing “equation” to help solve the problem – creative and robust adoption programs, both on site and in the community, a foster program to help save the most fragile animals entering the shelter system, relationships with local rescue groups, proactive redemption policies and a hard-working compassionate shelter director.
However, the term “No Kill” is not only divisive but a completely misunderstood concept. No Kill technically means that a shelter saves at least 90% of the animals they take in. This is an arbitrary number with little consideration to the resources available to the organization AND the tolerance of the community for dealing with difficult to manage medical conditions and serious behavior problems.
Open Intake VS Managed Intake
The other consideration ignored in the “No Kill Equation” is if a shelter is “Open Intake” as opposed to “Managed Intake”. HSNBA is “open intake” – we are contractually obligated to take in everything Animal Control (or citizens who find strays) bring to us.
HSNBA is a “Socially Conscious Animal Shelter” That means we are bringing animal welfare back into a humane, sustainable, common sense way to care for the lost and abandoned animals in a community. We work hard to provide the “Five Freedoms” to every animal in our care.
Sick, injured, aggressive, the feeble elderly and the barely born – we take them.
A “Managed Intake” shelter only takes in animals they KNOW they can help and adopt out, whether they are taken in from the public or pulled from other shelters, if they do not have the resources and ability to secure a live outcome for that animal, they leave it at the Open Intake “Kill” shelter. You can’t compare apples to oranges.
We Stand Up For The Five Freedoms
1. Freedom From Hunger and Thirst
An adequate, healthful diet and ready access to fresh water
2. Freedom From Discomfort
An appropriate living environment, including a clean, comfortable resting area
3. Freedom From Pain, Injury, and Disease
Prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment of injury or illness
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviors
Sufficient space, exercise, and the opportunity to enjoy company of the animal’s own kind
5. Freedom From Fear and Distress
Conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering and stress
We Are A Socially Conscious Animal Shelter
HSNBA is a “Socially Conscious Animal Shelter” That means we are bringing animal welfare back into a humane, sustainable, common sense way to care for the lost and abandoned animals in a community. We work hard to provide the “Five Freedoms” to every animal in our care. Socially Conscious Animal Sheltering does not send out aggressive animals into our community and we do not let an animal suffer with an injury or illness (physical OR mental) that we do not have the resources to treat.
So to answer the question, “Is HSNBA No Kill?“
HSNBA prefers not to use that term because it is so often misunderstood. We never euthanize an animal unless it is too dangerous or aggressive for a reasonable person to safely care for. We never euthanize an animal for medical issues that a reasonable person could willingly manage. We exhaust all options for each pet in our care until realistically, the animal can no longer be housed humanely or placed in a reasonable amount of time. HSNBA practices Socially Conscious Animal Sheltering. We are also 100% transparent and our operating reports can be viewed on our website here.