What Does "No Kill" Mean?
We are committed to the No Kill philosophy. A no-kill shelter is one that does not euthanize healthy or treatable animals, even when the shelter is full. Euthanasia is only considered in cases where an animal is terminally ill or poses a serious threat to public safety.
The Live Release Rate (LRR) is the national standard used to measure a shelter’s progress toward being no-kill. A no-kill shelter is generally defined as having a 90% LRR or higher, which means that at least 90% of the animals that come into the shelter are adopted, transferred, or returned to their owners.
At Humane Society of Sumter County, we have always maintained no-kill standards, and our 2022 Live Release Rate was 94%. This means that nearly all of the animals in our care found loving homes, were reunited with their families, or were transferred to another no-kill rescue.
As a Best Friends Network Partner, you can visit our Pet Lifesaving Dashboard for more details about our lifesaving efforts.
Our shelter follows this principle with a strong commitment to providing every animal with a chance for a healthy, happy life.
We have adhered to these practices throughout our 40-year history and proudly emphasize that we do not euthanize animals for time or space.
When Is Euthanasia Considered?
As a no-kill shelter, euthanasia is only considered under two circumstances:
- Irresolvable aggression towards humans or other animals.
- Untreatable terminal illness or unmanageable pain that cannot be alleviated.
We never euthanize animals due to the length of time they have been in our care or for lack of space.
