Animal Ark: Animal Shelters Across the USA to Stop Killing on June 11
HASTINGS, Minn., June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday, June 11, promises to be the safest day for dogs and cats in U.S. shelters in history, thanks to a nationwide campaign spearheaded by Animal Ark No Kill Shelter and the No Kill Advocacy Center. Roughly 1,200 shelters and rescue groups, including some of the largest animal control shelters, across the country, are joining together to create a No Kill nation for Just One Day.
Every day, roughly 10,000 animals lose their lives in U.S. shelters. By coming together, the Just One Day campaign is trying to reduce that to zero. Shelters are staying open longer to do more adoptions adoptions. And others are offering deep discounts on adoption fees.
On June 11, "euthanasia" technicians all over the USA will put down their syringes. Instead, they will pick up cameras, cell phones and video cameras. Rather than injecting savable animals with fatal doses of sodium pentobarbital, they will take pictures and videos of them. They will post them on the Internet, on Facebook and Twitter. Instead of going out the back of the shelter in body bags, animals will go home into the loving arms of new families.
In 2012, the events inaugural year, more than 700 organizations participated and about 9,000 animals' lives were saved. Some shelters quite literally ran out of animals. Some shelters reported waiting lines for adoptions. One shelter reported that their computer system locked up because it could not keep up with the number of adoptions being processed.
With a dramatic increase in participation – especially among large, municipal animal control shelters – organizers believe they will save more than 10,000 in Just One Day. This year, they also have more support for important policy-makers. County and City resolutions have been declared and one Governor, Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado, has signed a proclamation declaring June 11 to be a day of no kill in shelters throughout his state.
More than 40 municipalities in the USA have already permanently stopped killing healthy or treatable animals community-wide. The Just One Day campaign leverages the programs and services already proven in these No Kill communities, and asks others to try them, even if for only Just One Day.
"We are creating a no-lose proposition for shelters, rescue groups and municipalities," said Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark in Minnesota and one of the coordinators of the campaign. "What could a shelter possibly have to lose by trying these programs for a day?"
Nathan Winograd from the California-based No Kill Advocacy Center, another of the campaign organizers, said, "The response to the campaign has been very positive. The number of shelters that have already taken the pledge is inspiring." Winograd added, "And if the shelters are emptier than when they started the day on June 11, then it should be easier to make June 12 Just One More Day."
Contact Mike Fry (651) 772-8983 ext 99 or Nathan Winograd at (510) 689-1530.
SOURCE Animal Ark
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