No-Kill Advocacy
What is "No-Kill"? We see it bandied about and yet, it’s difficult to nail down a true definition of this ideal. We, as animal lovers, want it to be something so simple: no animal is euthanized to make space, no animal is thrown away, or turned away because of “lack of space”. In practice, however, it can mean that only a small percentage of animals turned into the shelter are euthanized. This percentage can be 5-10% or merely “certain kinds” of animals. For animal welfare supporters, any number if unacceptable.
The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary has long been an advocate for the no-kill philosophy. We were founded on the ideal that every cat is precious, and should never be killed for the convenience of the humans around them. We have worked hard to codify our own stance, and are working to implement the 11 Tenets of No-Kill in our own Shelter.
The 11 Tenets of No-Kill seem very obvious, but implementing them can be difficult. The Hermitage is fully dedicated to this, however, and we will not rest until Pima County is no-kill. Then, we will continue our work, to spread the ideals of No-Kill throughout Arizona, and the US. We know we are not alone; there are millions of supporters, and they are also working to create a world better than the one we have; a world where every companion animal is treated as the beautiful individual they are, and loved for it.