When we first checked in with Baytown, Texas, local advocates were excited. Their City Council had just passed a non-binding resolution to be No Kill by 2025. We felt a need at the time to play a bit of the "Debbie Downer" role by pointing out that these long-term goals never really pan out. The reasons why they don't are many and a little complex. The simplest way to explain why they fail, however, is this: Since achieving No Kill can happen overnight (literally), setting th

As we previously reported, Best Friends Animal Society recently announced its plan for a No Kill USA by 2025. It is a great idea. It is achievable. In most places, it is achievable much sooner than that. We also know, because of the long track record of these plans failing, that they almost never work. Even worse than the plans failing, they inhibit progress that could happen today, because they make it look like progress is being made where it isn't. They also let elected of

Nathan Winograd recently reminded us all via his Facebook Page that it has been more than 12 years since the City of Los Angeles promised to be No Kill within five years. That pledge happened in 2003. Now, in 2015, Los Angeles is still killing nearly half of the cats that come to the shelter, and about 25% of all animals collectively. The fact that Los Angeles has repeatedly missed their much-advertised "No Kill" date is, unfortunately, not unique. It is the norm for these hi