What: No Kill Conference: Bringing Sheltering into the 21st Century When: May 2-3 Where: George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C. Cost: $100 plus a $2.50 fee if registered by February 28; $150 plus a $3.75 fee if registered on or after May 1. Law students are eligible for a $50 discount. For more information or to register, go to www.nokillconference.org.

It’s estimated that about 5 million animals are killed in U.S. shelters each year. That’s 5 million too many.

But there are some successful shelter and animal control directors out there who are bringing their shelter euthanasia numbers down – way down. Some are saving more than 90 percent of the animals who come through their doors. And they’ll be joining some of the country’s top animal-law attorneys at a conference in the nation’s capital to show others how they can begin building no-kill communities, too.

The No Kill Advocacy Center is teaming up with the animal law program at George Washington University Law School to present the “No Kill Conference: Bringing Sheltering into the 21st Century,” happening May 2-3 in Washington, D.C.

The conference, co-sponsored by Best Friends Animal Society, has been called “a prerequisite for rescue groups and organizations that are serious about changing their communities to no-kill.”

It’s for animal lovers, activists, rescuers, shelter directors, shelter staff, humane society board members, lawyers, paralegals and anyone else who wants to learn from the most successful shelter directors and top animal-law attorneys about how to create no-kill communities and how to use the legal system to save lives.

Claudine Wilkins

How do you get animal control, the health department and other government agencies in your community to embrace no-kill? How do you include feral cats in your community’s lifesaving protection? How can you find homes for adoption-challenged animals like big black dogs and shy cats? The conference’s workshops will help answer these questions and many more.

The conference features both a shelter/rescue track and a legal track, though attendees can attend workshops in both areas. Both tracks are important, says Claudine Wilkins, legislative council for Best Friends, who will be one of the speakers at the conference.

“You have to have the public drive and awareness and the legal advancements for real change to happen for animals,” Wilkins says.

Conference workshops will cover a wide variety of current topics, including rehabilitating and adopting dogs and cats with special needs; harnessing community compassion; reforming animal control; overcoming internal obstacles to success; legislating no-kill; rethinking dangerous dogs; legislating and litigating an end to puppy mills; and protecting free-roaming cats and their caregivers.

Conference attendees will hear from shelter and animal control directors who are building successful no-kill programs in their own communities. And the conference’s list of speakers reads like a who’s who in animal welfare and animal law. Speakers include Nathan Winograd, national director of the No Kill Advocacy Center; Richard Avanzino, director of Maddie’s Fund; and Ledy VanKavage, senior legislative analyst for Best Friends and a pioneer in animal law.

Ledy VanKavage

“With the economic downturn, homeless pets need our help more than ever,” VanKavage says. “Cities will be looking for innovative solutions to save costs. We need trained advocates ready to help them save costs and reduce the killing. The ultimate goal is to teach animal advocates how to achieve safe, humane communities throughout the nation. The dogs and cats are counting on us.”

Other speakers include Karen Delise, founder and director of the National Canine Research Council; Mike Fry, executive director of Animal Ark; and Sheldon Eisenberg, an attorney who has worked on cases to protect volunteer whistleblowers who document abuses from being fired, and to require that shelters offer animals to rescue groups for adoption rather than killing them.

Click here to read more about the conference, workshops and guest speakers.

Written by Sandy Miller
Photos by Ledy by Molly Wald; Claudine Wilkins courtesy of Claudine; No Kill logo courtesy of the No Kill Conference.

As part of Best Friends’ 25th anniversary in 2009, our goal is to double our membership, so we can double our efforts to bring about a time when all companion animals have a forever home. What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.

February 25, 2009 : 11:47 AM ET
posted by: nutsahoy

I am so very confused since taking an interest in BF, the work they do and developing stories like the dogs from Wilkes County. It is true that everywhere there will be disgruntled ex employees, customers, benefactors, etc. that will try and discredit whoever they are on the outs with just becauce they feel they have been hard done by. Some of what I read about BF I put in this category but some stories like the one about BF turning away the 40 dogs from Utah just prior to accepting the Vick dogs (because they came with a healthy donation), or how some of the dogs from Katrina were treated does make me wonder. I know there are two sides to every story and being new to all this I may be missing something here. Can someone clarify for me?

February 21, 2009 : 9:29 AM ET
posted by: FURBALL

I agree with all the previous comments. The shelter killings HAVE to stop! I used to be associated as a volunteer with our local "Humane" society until I became aware of the number of "adoptable" animals being euthanized every month! It was disgusting and heart-wrenching! I couldn't bear to visit the "shelter" area monthly after our meetings and see all the adorable animals who more than likely would not be there the following month! Very few got homes. MOST were euthanized. Last year several cats were taken from the home of a woman who had become too ill to care for them anymore. The county shelter immediately swooped them up and euthanized them, with the excuse that they could be ill and unadoptable! This is BS! Several local rescue groups offered to take the cats, but the county shelter ("Humane Society") would have nothing to do with that idea. They totally refuse to work with any rescue groups! It is because of this attitude by the shelter that I chose to no longer be associated with them. I now work with the no-kill shelters and rescue groups and will no longer donate to the kill shelter! I refuse to support their killing efforts. Anything we can do to stop the shelter killings would be a tremendous blessing for the animals.

February 20, 2009 : 12:20 PM ET
posted by: aattura

Those who may be taking the Metro to get to the conference -- try to get there a little earlier, just in case traffic is slowed (tourists, sightseeres, etc) -- there are plenty of Starbucks and eateries in the area for you to step into and have a little something before you go to the conference.

February 20, 2009 : 12:32 AM ET
posted by: lindarolf

This is really a timely conference. Just this past week in Minneapolis the Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley rescued 118 cats from a hoarding situation and the euthanized all of them hours later because they were deemed too ill and a danger to other cats. Most people think that they just didn't want to take the time and money to treat the medical issues and socialize the cats. Why do we need and subsidize the Animal Humane Societies if they have no actual regard for the wellbeing of animals? Maybe they should change their name to the Animal Euthanasia Society...truth in advertising.

February 17, 2009 : 10:51 PM ET
posted by: Sophie's mom

Hopefully directors at AC and WHS right here in D.C. will attend this conference -- they could certainly use some guidance in how to respect other species' lives. And I totally agree with the previous comment; this overpopulation excuse they come with is such b.s. There is no excuse that can justify this totally unnecessary and unethical killing that is being done every day in shelters across the nation. Not to mention the way they go out of their way to trap and kill feral cats. And why do they say they do that? "we don't want people who complain about the cats taking matters in their own hands and harming the cats". The hypocrisy utterly disguts me.