Animal Welfare Groups Aim to Turn Philly Into a “No-Kill” City

It’s a sad truth that, throughout America, untold numbers of perfectly healthy dogs and cats that have the potential to be great pets are euthanized due to overcrowding of animal shelters. As the “fur mommy” of a rescue cat, this just breaks my heart. That’s why I was so excited to hear that three prominent animal welfare groups in Philadelphia are teeming up to try and turn Philly into a “no-kill” city where every animal is given the chance to find a forever home without the risk of being put to sleep.

Every cat and dog deserves a forever home. That’s why animal welfare groups in Philadelphia are joining forces to make Philly a “no-kill” city where no healthy, well-tempered animal is euthanized for lack of space.

This is a project that was already in the works. Last year, 82 percent of the approximately 18,000 pups and kitties housed by the Animal Care and Control Team, Philly’s official shelter, survived. Compare that with 2005, when almost 90 percent of the animals brought to the shelter were put down. Heartbreaking. But it’s so good to know that changes are being made.

Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia is one of the animal welfare groups invested in the project, and they are contributing a good chunk of the money needed to make room for all these potential pets. Petsmart Charities has also contributed, paying the salary of a full-time employee at the city shelter who can offer solutions and resources for struggling pet owners in an attempt to lower abandonments and drop-offs.

Obviously, a 100 percent no-kill rate would be preferable, but it’s not realistically possible, since some homeless animals are either very sick or dangerous and have to be euthanized compassionately since they would not make suitable pets. The overall plan of the Philadelphia No-Kill Coalition, as the group has dubbed itself, is to lower the number of pets in shelters by providing support to current pet owners, no matter how long it has been since their initial adoption. Like I said earlier, the plan is already working. Now it’s just a matter of keeping the momentum moving forward to help save the lives of cats and dogs throughout the City of Brotherly Love.