Thousands of pets are destroyed in
Delaware animal shelters every year. Most of the cats and dogs are unnecesarily put down because of sickness, behavior
considered unacceptable, or lack of space in the shelters. In addition there are thousands of stray cats living outside and
scavenging for food wherever they can find it. Many kind people do feed the stray cats, but they typically live very
hard lives. Safe Haven is totally committed to the No-Kill philosophy for all cats and dogs in Delaware.
The Sad Facts
"This year, roughly four million
dogs and cats—and countless other animals—will be put to death in our nation’s animal shelters. Their only
“crime” is that they have no human address. Others may be sick or injured, but they could be saved with little
effort. Unfortunately, they, too, will be killed. And still others are feral cats who should never enter shelters in the first
place. But there is hope." Source: No Kill Advocacy
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Safe Haven Values & Goals
With help from caring people like you, Safe Haven is creating a no-kill
sanctuary that, once in operation, will:
Develop a safe, animal-centered
adoption program leading to the permanent placement of our shelter animals Provide “Life
Assurance;” long-term housing, or a permanent home, at the sanctuary for cats and dogs who are not readily adoptable Provide life-long care at the sanctuary, or a secure and supported adoption, for bequeathed animals through our “Home
for Life” program Work creatively with animal guardians to help them keep their animals Engage only in true euthanasia, when it is in the best interest of the animal, never for the sake of convenience Through qualified, compassionate, and dedicated personnel and volunteers, ensure that all animals at the sanctuary
have access to appropriate health care, including spay and neuter service Create a LEED certified,
"Green” sanctuary, including nature-trails, an arboretum and the
use of eco-friendly building and landscape practices Increase community awareness of the needs and special gifts
of cats and dogs through educational seminars addressing the care of companion animals Establish
an aggressive low/no cost Spay/Neuter program for animals of limited-income residents and feral/barn cats Collaborate with other animal organizations in Sussex County, Delaware, and Nationally to create a continuum of support
services for homeless cats and dogs, leading to Delaware becoming a NO-KILL State
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Help homeless, needy cats and dogs
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What
We Mean by No-Kill A true No-Kill shelter
saves 95-98% of all the animals taken in.
- Long term/permanent housing and
care
- Euthanasia only when cats and dogs are in great pain from untreatable or unmanageable illness/injury
- Population control through spay and neuter programs
- Proactive adoption
- Helping people keep their pets
- Public education
Help us spread the
word about No-Kill: share on your Facebook page by clicking on the button below. Share
How is No Kill Different
from
"low kill"?
Some animal organizations/agencies now
call themselves "low kill." Presumably, that is intended to sound better than "high kill."
Nevertheless, "low kill" is an admission of the obvious fact that animals are still being
put to death at these "shelters." These are not just "mercy killings" when an animal is suffering
from terrible pain.
Should homeless cats and dogs be killed just
because there is no space in a particular building? More and more people say that space for homeless cats and dogs can
always be found by means of proactive adoption, foster families, and transport to other shelters with space.
Should homeless cats and dogs be killed just because they
need treatment for illnesses/injuries? More and more people say no, that is heartless.
Should homeless cats and dogs be killed because of behavioral issues? More
and more people say that somewhere the right home awaits every cat or dog, and none are beyond redemption.
Should cats be killed just because they are strays or barn
cats? More and more people say that the better way is to conduct proactive TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs and providing
cat food to caretakers of cat colonies if it is needed.
We
often say that our pets are members of our families. Obviously, none of us would tolerate
a "low kill" philosophy for our loved ones, so why tolerate that for homeless cats and dogs?
More and more people are opposed to both high-kill and low-kill pounds for homeless cats and dogs. More and
more people support only No Kill sanctuaries.
The
No-Kill Movement
Nathan Winograd, a leader of the No-Kill movement, wrote the Feasibility
Study for Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary. To obtain Mr. Winograd's book Redemption and/or read his blog, click here
"Redemption
is the story of animal sheltering in the United States, a movement that was born of compassion and then lost its way. It is
the story of the “No Kill” movement, which says we can and must stop the killing. It is about heroes and villains,
betrayal and redemption. And it is about a social movement as noble and just as those that have come before. But most of all,
it is a story about believing in the community and trusting in the power of compassion." Excerpt from Nathan Winograd's
web site
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Nassau, DE 19969 