No-Kill Mondays Inspire Animal Shelters To End Euthanasia

NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AnimalsVote.org, a not for profit dedicated to saving the lives of animals, today announced the launch of "No-Kill Mondays," a national campaign to stop shelters from killing animals. The purpose of "No-Kill Mondays" is to raise awareness about the inordinate number of animals killed and ask shelters to commit to not euthanizing animals on Mondays. Today's launch serves as the first step towards ending euthanasia forever.

With the support of dozens of volunteers and over 500 animal rescue organizations, AnimalsVote.org has reached out to the 2,500 animal shelters in the US that still practice euthanasia to encourage them to sign a no-kill pledge. Shelter responses are publicly displayed on the AnimalsVote.org "scoreboard," so visitors to the site can see if their local shelter has signed the pledge or refused participation. The scoreboard also provides the option to contact the shelters to encourage a commitment against euthanizing pets.

Although some of the nation's largest shelters, such as the Los Angeles Animal Services West LA Shelter, happily agreed to sign the pledge, No-Kill Mondays has been met with considerable resistance. AnimalsVote.org Founder Alex Aliksanyan acknowledges that the campaign is simply the first step in ending the killing; the initiative will bring forth a national conversation around peaceful methods of managing homeless pets.

"While some progressive shelters in the US have taken a no-kill approach to managing pet overpopulation, many still see killing as a necessity, not an option," explains Aliksanyan. "No-Kill Mondays is the first step to showing these shelters that there is another way - a peaceful way."

The group's sister organization, DogsInDanger.com, estimates that roughly 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in America each year; an amount that totals 11,000 deaths daily. This number comprises nearly half the pets that enter shelters. Research shows that each day a pet remains in a shelter increases its chances of living by 8.3 percent - every day counts. 

A long term comprehensive plan to end euthanasia is a complex issue and AnimalsVote.org has put forth a multi-stage program enumerated in a series of articles, titled 'The Three Laws.' In combination, the changes espoused will end killing with minimal budgetary impact. To make this a reality, AnimalsVote.org has created the No-Kill Coalition, a group of organizations committed to a final push to end shelter killing forever.  The No-Kill Coalition currently counts more than 500 organizations amongst its ranks. Animal-rights activists and pet-lovers are encouraged to join the fight in making No-Kill Mondays a success.

In addition to calling shelters and asking for their participation, AnimalsVote.Org offers a $15 yearly membership which grants access to special members-only content, as well as discounts and special offers from several pet-supply companies. Being a non-profit, all membership fees go directly back to the animals, whether in the form of direct support, legislative help, or funding initiatives such as No-Kill Mondays.

About AnimalsVote.org

AnimalsVote.org is a national issue advocacy organization devoted to the welfare of animals. With branches in most major markets, it supports legislative action and lobbying as a part of the equation that will bring forth a No Kill America. To read more about No-Kill Mondays, or to become an AnimalsVote.org member and join the fight against euthanasia, please visit www.AnimalsVote.org.

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SOURCE AnimalsVote.org