Getting to Zero

A New National Initiative of the American Humane Association
In Cooperation with Visionary Corporations and Foundations

The American Humane Association’s Getting to Zero® Program is a critical national undertaking based on realistic assumptions and the profound belief that American society can reduce to zero the number of healthy or treatable dogs, cats and other companion animals that are euthanized in animal care and control facilities.

Every year, approximately 3.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters in the United States. Although many Americans maintain a deep love and affection for animals, and pets are cherished members of millions of families, the millions of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats euthanized each year remains a source of shame for our country. It is a situation that most view as socially and morally unacceptable.

American Humane recognizes that animal overpopulation is the result of human decision-making, and all of us have a responsibility and role in its reduction. To that end, working in partnership with the animal welfare community and corporate and foundation donors, American Humane launched the Getting to Zero Program in 2006. 

Identifying best practices

At the heart of the program is our belief that by replicating identified best practices at shelters and animal-welfare groups across the country -- utilizing seed and operational funding provided by visionary companies and organizations, as well as advice and consultation from the best in the field -- the immediate impact can be substantial and sustaining, thus leading to zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.

As a first step toward this goal, American Humane assembled a Getting to Zero Advisory Committee and solicited nominations of best practices from shelters throughout the U.S. in the categories of spay/neuter, foster programs, behavior training and transfer programs. After reviewing the submissions, the committee selected 40 organizations as exemplifying best practices in one or more of these categories.

Building capacity

American Humane then awarded grants to a number of optimal shelters throughout the U.S., based on their potential to implement best practices. Grant recipients have included:

• Willamette Humane Society in Salem, Ore., to construct a community low-cost spay/neuter clinic.
• Humane Society of Pagosa Springs in Pagosa Springs, Colo., to purchase 4 x 4 units of double-compartment cat cages for a new cat adoption center.
• Quincy Humane Society in Quincy, Ill., to be used for a new shelter that includes a community low-cost spay/neuter clinic.

As an integral part of these grants, American Humane’s professional animal welfare staff provided one-on-one advice, coaching, training, mentoring and monitoring of the implementation of these best practices.
In identifying best practices and awarding these grants, American Humane established and promoted collaborations and information sharing with shelters and animal welfare experts across the nation. Today, American Humane continues to make these practices available through its Shelter Training and Evaluation Program (STEP), which provides shelters with comprehensive or target-specific evaluations and recommendations for implementing best practices.
Most importantly, each of these grants has made a significant difference in euthanasia rates for the recipient shelters by promoting spay/neuter, increasing adoption and building capacity.

Getting to Zero

American Humane’s Getting to Zero Program is the backbone of our approach to reducing euthanasia rates, increasing overall adoption rates and hastening the day when euthanasia is no longer viewed by the public as an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of animal control. It is a driving philosophy behind our shelter resources, public awareness events, publications, animal welfare grants, trainings and shelter evaluations. Together, we are Getting to Zero.