Live Release Rate

Updated 12/31/2021

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What is “No-Kill?”

The term no-kill is an animal welfare industry status that is defined by a 90% or more live release rate. This 90% standard has been adopted as the goal for animal rescues and shelters by most national animal welfare organizations. The remaining 10% or less is reserved humane euthanasia for sick/injured animals and animals deemed to be a danger to the community, aggressive. Achieving the no-kill status exemplifies best practice standards for animal rescues and shelters.

The Humane Society of Yuma calculates our live release rate by taking the Total number of LIVE outcomes (Adoption, Returned to Owners, Returned to Field and Released to Rescue), divided by the Total number of ALL outcomes (Live Outcomes + Euthanized +Died in Care + Other).

NO-KILL YUMA is a community-wide initiative that will celebrate our love and respect for the animals in our community. With the support of the people of Yuma County, we will soon be celebrating the end of unnecessary euthanasia of animals at our shelter. Yuma County is very close in reaching the 90% live release rate. The Humane Society of Yuma has done this with the support of the community and the hard work of staff and volunteers (past and present) at the shelter. Everyone in our community can be a part of NO-KILL YUMA and can take ownership of this achievement. The animals need Yuma to take action on these FOUR life-saving pillars which will place Yuma on the map to be a No-Kill Community:

Get involved

FIX

– Spay/neuter your pets.

Preventing unwanted pets and animals in our community is the most effective way to reduce of homeless pets in Yuma County. The Humane Society of Yuma’s Clinic is the only low-cost veterinary clinic in Yuma County. Our goal is to spay/neuter over 6,000 animals annually. Our low-cost spay/neuter services are in high demand and serve as a vital resource for low-income pet owners. Schedule your appointment today.

ADOPT

– Choose to adopt your pet, choose to save a life.

The benefits of adopting:
Save money. All pets adopted from the Humane Society of Yuma have been
vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. Adoption fees range from $0-
$300 and average $67.

Open up space and resources to other homeless pets; reduce the risk of
euthanasia for space. When a pet is adopted, it opens up a kennel for another
animal and saves not only the adopted pet’s life but has the potential to save
another.

IDENTIFY

– Microchip and License your pets.

Accidents happen, but the sad truth is that between the years of 2012 through 2018, of the 28,943 cats entered the shelter, only 294 cats were reclaimed by their owners (equates to 1.01%). Dogs fair a little better at a16.13% reclamation rate (30,575 Dogs entered the shelter, 4,933 were reclaimed by their owners). There is a lot of room for improvement in this area. Preventing the intake of animals through microchips, licenses and identification tags is the easiest way for lost animals to find their way back home.

DONATE

– Time, goods or Money.

Give your time as a volunteer or foster parent. Get hands on as a volunteer and
save lives through the gift of time. Shelter staff members are spread thin and are
always busy, volunteers provide most of the enrichment, exercise and extra TLC
that these animals need. Volunteers play an essential role in fundraising events,
at the thrift store, community events and with administrative work at the shelter.

Pet food, cleaning supplies, office supplies, computers/tablets. Donated goods
are ALWAYS needed at the Humane Society of Yuma and help our bottom line.
We prefer to use our donor dollars to go directly to the care of the animals, but
just like any other business or operation, we need supplies.

Money. The Humane Society of Yuma on average invests approximately $300
into every animal in our care. More than half of those funds are subsidized by
local donor dollars and grants. Without the financial support from the
community, we would not be able to do the lifesaving work in our community.

The Humane Society of Yuma has made some large and small adjustments in the way we operate and focus our work towards becoming a no-kill community. The overall goals are to:

1. Prevent Intake

Increased low-cost spay/neuter surgeries

Spay/neuter is the priority for the organization to tackle pet-overpopulation long-term with the focus on the areas of the community with the highest amount of stray animals. Spay/neuter services are in high demand from not only the public, but also within the organization’s departments. The Humane Society of Yuma is actively pursuing ways to increase surgery capacity, through investments in equipment for the clinic and continuing education for our clinic staff. Please contact the Director of Development if you are interested in supporting these program improvements.

Providing more resources for struggling pet owners. 

Home-to-Home *COMING SOON* is an alternative homing solution for pet owners who need to rehome their pets. Pet owners know their pets the best and can now screen potential homes themselves. Instead of surrendering your pet to the shelter, you can post a pet profile on the Humane Society of Yuma’s website and accept and screen applicants looking for a new pet.

Safety-net programs

4 Paws Pantry – Monthly supplemental pet food distribution for struggling pet owners whose pets are altered, vaccinated and licensed.

GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS *Coming soon*

Promoting proper identification

Microchips, Identification Tags and Licenses are the first line of defense, in the event that an animal is lost.

Ensuring that contact information is up to date is essential to be able to reunite pets with their owners.

Education and Community Outreach on topics such as over-population issues, responsible pet ownership and resource awareness.

This program is a long-term investment in the community and will create an informed, responsible pet community.

2. Shorten Length of Stay

Increased accessibility

Shelter is now open 7 days a week. The Humane Society of Yuma is focused on
positive outcomes for animals and has made adjustments and invested funds in
staffing for extended hours for adoptions and return to owners.

Technology upgrades. The Humane Society of Yuma has invested in software
and our website to give the community better digital access to our inventory of
animals and services.

Aggressive Community Cat Program

Did you know, most of the cats that enter our shelter are trapped by concerned
citizens and brought into the shelter? Community cats make up the majority of
cats that stay in our shelter. The traditional method of euthanasia for these cats
has been proven to be an ineffective means to control the population.

Since implementing an aggressive community cat program in late 2017, the
Humane Society of Yuma is seeing a decline in cats enter the shelter.

Foster to Adopt Program

Cats, kittens and dogs with medical issues are eligible for this program. These
animals have been identified as having to need more care from the Humane
Society of Yuma before they are eligible for adoption. A home environment is
best for all animals, but especially for animals with compromised immune
systems. In these instances, you can join this program in which you would
continue to work with the Humane Society of Yuma to provide medical care and
services while committing to adopt the animal. Once the animal is eligible for
adoption (spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped) you will complete the
adoption.

Implementing a Pre-adopt program

Did you walk through our shelter and fall in love with a dog or cat that isn’t
available for adoption yet? We now are accepting adoption deposits for animals
that are on their stray hold. If the owners do not come to reclaim their pet, you
will be contacted immediately to complete the adoption and your deposit will be
credited to the adoption fee. If the pet is reclaimed, your deposit becomes a
donation to the shelter.

3. Increasing the Quality of Care

Expanding foster and volunteer programs

Developing training program *MORE COMING SOON*

Upgrading housing for cats and facility for dogs

Cat portals
Wrote grant for fencing for dogs
Keller Williams, Yuma Office and Yuma Elks Club sealing dog runs
Installation of Solar Panels Complete

Treating more sick/injured animals

The Humane Society of Yuma is committed to treating as many sick/injured
animals as possible. Euthanasia will be reserved for animals that are in conditions
in which have been determined to humanely end its suffering.

 DONATE NOW

As the only animal shelter in Yuma County, the Humane Society of Yuma remains to be an open admissions shelter, caring for over 8,000 animals annually. Animal welfare is a community, public health issue. The Humane Society of Yuma has been open-minded and has implemented progressive shelter practices to transform animal welfare in Yuma with the support of national animal welfare organizations and the research behind the methodology. Utilizing the limited resources, the Humane Society of Yuma’s staff, volunteers and donors have made tremendous strides in their efforts to save the lives of animals within the past seven years. There are so many more programs that the shelter hopes to implement in the coming months.