You may have heard the terms like ‘open admission’ and ‘no-kill’ in references to shelter or rescue models. In most cases, open-admission shelters accept all animals in need of shelter whether as a result of neglect, abandonment, abuse, or simply an individual’s inability to maintain ownership of their pet. Open admission shelters do not turn away animals based upon their breed type, those who may be injured, ill, very old, or those that have temperament or aggression problems.

Organizations that follow the no-kill model, along with limited admission and adoption guarantee models, may choose to restrict the types of animals they take based on the animals’ viability for adoption, the number of animals currently in the organization’s care, and/or the discretionary criteria. These organizations may decide not to take in elderly, very ill, aggressive, seriously injured animals, or a breed type that may be considered too dangerous, costly to care for, or challenging to adopt. These organizations may prioritize certain criteria as well, such as breed-specific rescues, or rescues specifically for elderly animals.

Open-admission shelters are the place for any animal in need of shelter, medical attention, and/or protection. As a result, open-admission shelters sometimes face the need to humanely euthanize animals in their care. At NOCO Humane, euthanasia is carried out only in specific situations. It is sometimes the most compassionate act in order to end an animal’s suffering resultant from an insurmountable injury or illness. Additionally, because no animal is turned away, we sometimes see animals who are unsafe – either to people or other pets – and who cannot be responsibly placed for adoption. While behavior intervention efforts are part of our day-to-day protocol, and we work closely with partner agencies to exercise other options, not every animal can be rehabilitated. Dogs and cats at NOCO Humane are never euthanized for reasons involving the length of time they have been in our care, or in response to the shelter population. Animals will remain in our adoption center as long as it takes to find them a loving home, provided their health and temperament remain positive.

NOCO Humane is fortunate for the partnership of shelters and rescue groups that utilize a variety of intake models – including those like limited admission and adoption guarantee – which provides a robust network of options for animals who come into our care. We commonly transfer animals in and out of our shelter as a way to ensure animals are receiving the best options and resources possible for their unique needs.