‘High-fiving cats,’ are the next animal empowerment movement
“High fives save cat lives.” Animal shelters across the U.S. are using the “Cat Pawsitive” initiative to empower cats and get more adopted.
Animalkind, USA TODAY
Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters in 2025, released new data this week showing that Massachusetts is close to being a “”no-kill” state” when it comes to animal shelters.
Best Friends Animal Society, founded in 1984, tracks the number of animals that are euthanized at shelters as well as the save rate. In 2023, Massachusetts has a save rate of 89%, slightly down from the 90% save rate in 2022. Best Friends Animal Society said 438 cats and 786 dogs were put down in Massachusetts shelters in 2023.
“Despite a slight drop in pet lifesaving, 2023 was a pivotal year in the journey to no-kill for the state of Massachusetts, Aurora Velazquez, regional director of Best Friends Animal Society, said in a written statement. “Many state leaders such as MSPCA (Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) met or exceeded the 90% benchmark, which is how the animal welfare industry defines no-kill.”
The MSPCA is now leading a statewide initiative, along with five other animal-based organizations, “to increase adoptions of shelter pets, especially large breed dogs,” according to Best Friends. “The initiative, supported by Best Friends, kicked off in July with a week-long adoption event, finding 157 cats and dogs loving homes.”
What does the national data look like?
Over 30 states are now close to being no-kill states under Best Friends metrics, according to their website, and four states, including three in New England, have reached that goal.
Even so, the organizations says there is work to do.
“Best Friends data shows that pet adoption declined over the last five years, as most pets are acquired through other means,” according to a release from Best Friends. “The net result is that 415,000 healthy or treatable pets were unnecessarily killed in shelters last year.”
Best Friends explained that around the country, 2.3 million dogs and cats were adopted in 2023.
“Roughly 7 million people in America are planning to acquire a pet this year, and if just 6 percent more people chose to adopt versus purchase their pets, we would end the killing of dogs and cats in our nation’s shelters,” Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society said in a press release.
The group wants to make the whole country no-kill by 2025.
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Publish date : 2024-08-14 21:40:00
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