NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell signed a proclamation aiming to make all area animal shelters "no kill" by the end of 2025.

Metro Animal Care and Control currently has around an 83% save rate. To be considered a no-kill shelter, save rates would need to be at least 90%.

“If only 6% of the people who choose to add a pet to their family this year — if they chose to adopt from a shelter or rescue rather than purchase, only 6% ... the entire country would be no-kill, we're that close,” Eric Swafford, Director of Legislation and Campaign Strategy for Best Friends Animal Society, said. "We're at the tipping point."

A MACC spokesperson told News 2 that improving their 83% save rate could be difficult as the shelter only euthanizes animals due to behavioral or medical issues, not due to space. That’s thanks to their foster programs in addition to initiatives like getting resources to pet parents to avoid animal surrenders. 

The Best Friend Animal Society, which is currently pushing the no-kill initiative across the county, believes MACC could close the gap.

“Lots of times, we see behavioral issues in shelters with animals that have just been there a while, and the best thing we know that can be done is get those animals that can be saved, get them out as quickly as possible," Swafford said. "And fostering is such an integral part of saving each and every dog or cat that can be saved."

MACC's save rates have improved since 2013 when 70% of animals were put down. That's largely due to an ordinance at the time that required unclaimed pit bulls to be put down.  Although District 13 Councilman Russ Bradford said he supports saving animals, he added that he thinks more resources are needed to help MACC get there.

“Right now, the current facility — they're doubling up, which is not best practice,” Bradford said. “A larger shelter goes back to — we can expand spay and neuter services so that we can begin to really tackle the issue at the head."

O’Connell has included two new MACC employees in his budget for next year. Bradford would like to see a new animal shelter to keep up with growing demand. However, he thinks the earliest we could see that would be in about five years. 

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/no-kill-shelters/