Minnesotans Called To Help USA Become a No Kill Nation

    It is a terribly sad reality. Every year in the Twin Cities, about 45% of the dogs and cats brought to humane societies are killed. A single animal welfare organization, the largest in the area, disposes of nearly 15,000 animals per year all by themselves.

    It is a tragic irony that Minnesota's largest animal welfare organization is also the state's leading killer of companion animals.

    However, ask any of Minnesota's speakers scheduled to present at the No Kill Conference in Washington DC this year and they will tell you that many of those deaths are unnecessary.

    "The overwhelming majority of shelter deaths in our state are unnecessary," said Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark, one of the scheduled speakers. "Other communities, both rural and urban, are saving the lives of more than 90% of the animals that enter their shelters. Therefore, the fact that shelters in a wealthy urban center like the Twin Cities are still killing nearly half of the animals that enter their doors is unacceptable."

    According to Minnesota's speakers at the No Kill Conference in Washington DC, which is being presented by the No Kill Advocacy Center and the George Washington University Law School, most of the deaths of animals in Minnesota's shelters are unnecessary. If shelters in our state embraced the programs often referred to as the no kill equation, deaths of animals in privately funded shelters as well as municipally funded animal control centers could be cut to less than 10% of all incoming pets.

    Those deaths, they say, would be accounted for only by the euthanasia of animals suffering from terminal illness, or the destruction of animals that represented a serious danger to society. Today, they add, humane societies in Minnesota continue killing animals with treatable medical or behavior problems, which the humane societies have the resources to save.

    Minnesota's speakers at the No Kill Conference in Washington DC include Dr. Linda Wolf, a veterinarian with a Masters in animal behavior. A consulting veterinarian who has counseled animal facilities around the country, and who has spent countless hours training shelter animals herself, Dr. Wolf will discuss how shelters can expand their definition of "adoptable" and, thereby, save more animals.

    Marshall Tanick is a Senior Partner with the Mansfield Tanick and Cohen law firm. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential animal lawyers in the United States, credited with winning the case that resulted in the State of Minnesota prohibiting breed-based discrimination. He has also served as lead council on civil cases against puppy mills in the state. He will speak about how attorneys and animal welfare advocates can use the legal system to ensure that puppy mills comply with the law.

    Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark, will talk about what no kill sheltering is in the USA today, focusing specifically on life enrichment and training for shelter animals. Additionally, he will talk about trap, neuter and return (TNR) programs for feral cats.

    Along with Mike Fry, Beth Nelson, co-host of Animal Wise Radio, a Minnesota-based, nationally-syndicated radio show, will broadcast a 2-hour, live program from the conference.

    "I am really proud to be participating in a conference that includes the best and the brightest shelter directors and animal welfare advocates in the United States," said Nelson.

    News of the national conference came at about the same time the city of Minneapolis announced plans to move in the direction of a formal no kill policy. City Council member Gary Schiff recently announced the City had agreed to change their policy to require all pets adopted from the Minneapolis Animal Care and Control Center to be spayed or neutered prior to adoption. In addition to that policy change, Minneapolis is considering several other changes that could reduce, or even eliminate, the killing of animals in shelters that are not terminally ill or dangerous to people.

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    Comments from readers:
    On 02/11/2009 John Rybak said: Companion animal euthanization

    It is so sad to hear these stories of the puppy mills and the cruel and in-humane conditions and treatment these dogs receive! Also, the continous unecessary euthanization of so many animals in the Twin Cities by the so called leader in animal welfare.
    What will happen now to over 120 cats seized from that home in the metro area? My guess is that many of them will be euthanized by this organization.
    I know some of these poor cats may be very ill, even terminally which may result in their passing through no fault of their own but how many of them will be saved? We need to educate this organization on no-kill possibilities but this has been tried by Mr. Fry and has fallen on deaf ears of Mrs. Janelle Dixon.
    I hope some day they will open their eyes and hearts and have a change of policies! John Rybak