Low Kill Shelter - What does that mean?

A low kill shelter simply means that we do all we can to place every "adoptable" animal that comes into our shelter. We do not have a time limit on an animal's stay, and an adoptable animal will not be euthanized to make room for another. The instances where we may have to euthanize are:

• Animal is too sick or injured (beyond medical treatment)
• Medical treatment cost outweighs the likelihood of adoption
• Unadoptable due to aggression or failed temperament test
• Unadoptable or suffering due to severe kennel stress

The majority of animal shelters and animal control facilities in the United States are high kill shelters, which means they do have a time limit and euthanize adoptable animals to make space for newly incoming animals. Whenever possible, BHS strives to rescue adoptable animals at risk for euthanasia at high kill shelters. This ability is limited by space and financial resources - the more help we get, the more animals we can rescue!

There are also some facilities that are considered "no kill" facilities because they do not euthanize animals at all. These types of facilities only take in animals of their choosing, by taking in surrendered animals or pulling the most adoptable and desirable animals from other facilities. BHS cannot be a no kill facility because we are an Open Admissions shelter and therefore we often receive animals for which euthanasia is the most appropriate and humane option.