JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 90% of animals that were in shelters in Jacksonville last year were saved, allowing the city to regain a no-kill designation.
The Jacksonville Humane Society proudly announced the achievement on Friday and thanked the community for its support and area shelters for their lifesaving collaboration.
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In 2014, Jacksonville earned the distinction of being the largest city in the United States to earn no-kill status. The city has maintained the status since, with the exception of 2018 when ACPS save rate fell to 86%.
In 2019, the save rate for the Humane Society was 95% and Animal Care and Protectives Services was 90%, for a citywide 93% save rate.
Best Friends Animal Society defines a no-kill community is a city or town which has a no-kill philosophy and where every brick-and-mortar shelter has a save rate of 90% or above.
In total, 16,874 animals entered Jacksonville shelters in 2019. This is a decrease from 19,366 animals in 2018.
“Jacksonville has proven time and again that when everyone works together, animals win. We are better together,” said Denise Deisler, CEO of the Jacksonville Humane Society.
Don’t Kitnap was a campaign launched by JHS and APCS in spring of 2019, that emphasized the importance of spay/neuter, debunking myths about mother cats abandoning kittens, what to do with found kittens and recruiting foster parents. Kitten intake in 2019 for the community was 6,522, a decrease from 7,575 in 2018. This is the first decline in kitten intake since 2015.