Shelter Animal Political Network™

Political Change to Protect Shelter Dogs and Cats

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, No-Kill International™ Inc is nonpartisan and does not support or oppose any political party or candidate or seek to influence the outcome of any election. Any advocacy concerning legislation or public policy is strictly limited to measures intended to save animals’ lives, protect animals from cruelty and neglect, and improve their health, safety, and overall well-being. We will work with elected officials, government agencies, organizations, and individuals of any political affiliation who are willing to help accomplish those objectives. As No-Kill International™ Inc grows, we intend to build a large, nationwide advocacy network capable of giving animals a powerful, organized voice and helping secure meaningful governmental action to protect their lives and well-being.

Before undertaking any organized legislative advocacy, No-Kill International™ Inc. will file IRS Form 5768 to elect the 501(h) expenditure test and will carefully document and limit all lobbying expenditures in accordance with the requirements applicable to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

No-Kill International™ Inc intends to build hundreds of no-kill shelters across the United States so that dogs and cats placed on euthanasia lists because of a lack of shelter space have somewhere to live and can be saved. As we do that, and in order to accomplish that objective on the scale necessary, we must also seek effective changes in policies and laws that allow these animals to be killed rather than requiring life-saving alternatives. Our objective is to change government policies and practices that allow healthy and treatable dogs and cats to be euthanized simply because government shelters have run out of space. We intend to pursue mutually beneficial agreements with the government bodies and institutions responsible for these shelters: they can potentially reduce taxpayer costs by working with us to create more efficient shelter capacity, while we save animals they might otherwise euthanize. For these agreements to be effective, they must also give No-Kill International™ Inc the cooperation and authority necessary to act quickly when animals are in immediate danger. This could include, for example, agreements requiring participating shelters to promptly respond to our stays of euthanasia requests, without requiring us to first seek court intervention, along with other procedures supported by the communities those government bodies represent that enable us to intervene rapidly and save as many animals as possible.

No-Kill International™ Inc will also seek agreements, variances, waivers, or changes to applicable laws and regulations when necessary to establish temporary emergency shelters while permanent shelters are being constructed. When animals face euthanasia because existing shelters have run out of space, regulations should allow reasonable emergency alternatives that protect animal health and safety while making it possible to save the greatest number of lives.

For example, a temporary shelter could contain several large, separately fenced indoor areas in which compatible dogs can live, exercise, and be cared for in groups, rather than requiring an individual kennel for every animal. Separate individual kennels—perhaps 50 in a facility housing approximately 1,500 dogs—could be provided for animals that cannot safely be housed with others. Large secured outdoor areas could provide additional space for exercise and animal care. Similar temporary arrangements could be developed for cats according to their particular needs.

This type of emergency shelter model could allow No-Kill International™ Inc to rapidly provide temporary capacity for thousands of animals while permanent shelters are being built. Repeated throughout the United States, temporary facilities could substantially increase the number of animals that can be removed from immediate or approaching risk of euthanasia.

When an existing law or regulation unnecessarily prevents a safe temporary arrangement that could save animals who would otherwise be euthanized, we will seek an appropriate exemption, variance, agreement, or change in the law rather than accept the animals' deaths as the only alternative.

Any temporary shelter arrangement would remain focused on animal safety, humane care, sanitation, disease control, adequate food and water, appropriate separation of animals, and other measures necessary for their welfare. The objective of regulatory flexibility would not be to eliminate necessary animal protections, but to make emergency large-scale lifesaving possible while permanent shelter capacity is being created.

As resources become available, No-Kill International™ Inc intends to establish the Shelter Animal Political Network™, a nationwide network focused on creating political and governmental change to protect shelter dogs and cats from euthanasia due to a lack of space.

The Shelter Animal Political Network™ will seek to accomplish this through political pressure, petitions, proposed changes to local and state policies, direct appeals to government officials, public-information campaigns, and other efforts intended to change the systems that continue putting shelter animals at risk.

A central objective will be to recruit volunteer attorneys throughout the United States who can assist No-Kill International™ Inc. in seeking stays of euthanasia when dogs and cats are scheduled to be killed because shelter space has been exhausted. The purpose of seeking a stay is to keep the animals alive long enough for life-saving solutions to be pursued; life-saving solutions we would have by our building projects (that would include temporary shelters while we build our permanent shelters).

Changing the Shelter System

One of our primary objectives will be convincing city councils to dismantle their existing kill-shelter systems and replace them with No-Kill International™ Inc. Certified No-Kill shelters designed and operated around the principle that a lack of space is a problem to be solved—not a justification for killing an animal.

Where an existing shelter can be converted rather than replaced, we will seek to convince city councils to change its policies, increase its capacity, establish transfer arrangements, and make the changes necessary to meet No-Kill International™ Inc. certification standards.

Where additional shelter capacity is necessary, we will seek to convince city councils and other responsible government bodies to support the construction and operation of No-Kill International™ Inc. Certified No-Kill shelters within their communities. Rather than relying on government funding, our objective will be to build these shelters primarily through charitable donations, corporate support, donated land, materials, professional services, and other private contributions.

The substantially lower cost of our standardized shelter model should make it easier for government officials to support the transition because their communities can gain urgently needed shelter capacity without the enormous construction costs associated with conventional government-built shelters. Maintaining independent funding will also allow No-Kill International™ Inc. to remain focused on its mission and standards without becoming financially dependent upon the governments whose shelter policies we may be seeking to change.

The Shelter Animal Political Network™ will present specific proposals showing government officials what needs to change and how those changes can be accomplished. When officials refuse changes that are reasonably available to them, we will seek to create the political pressure necessary to persuade them to reconsider and act.

Political Pressure and Government Accountability

Rather than simply calling attention to the killing of shelter animals, the Shelter Animal Political Network™ will identify specific solutions and make clear which government officials have the authority to implement them. This will allow residents to see what their government has been asked to do and whether their representatives choose to act.

When funding permits, No-Kill International™ Inc. intends to purchase television, radio, streaming, digital, print, outdoor, and other advertising in communities where these decisions are being made. These advertisements can explain the changes being requested, identify the government body with the authority to make them, and encourage residents to pressure their representatives to stop allowing shelter animals to be euthanized simply because there is not enough space.

The objective is not merely to bring attention to the problem. It is to create enough political pressure to change the government policies that allow the problem to continue.

A Nationwide Network

Our objective is eventually to establish the Shelter Animal Political Network™ throughout the United States, with volunteer attorneys and others capable of pursuing these objectives in every state.

The approach may differ between states, counties, and cities because their shelter systems and government structures differ, but the objective will remain the same: prevent dogs and cats from being killed because shelter capacity has been exhausted and convince the government bodies responsible for those systems to provide a life-saving alternative.

No-Kill International™ Inc.'s programs are intended to attack the problem from multiple directions. The Emergency Shelter Project provides additional shelter capacity. Operation Forever Home™ is intended to help animals reach permanent homes. The Shelter Animal Political Network™ will seek stays of euthanasia for animals in immediate danger and pursue the political changes necessary to stop governments from treating euthanasia as the solution to overcrowding.

The ultimate objective is straightforward: a lack of shelter space should never be accepted as a reason to end the life of a healthy or treatable dog or cat.