‘No-Kill’ Shelters a Humane Crusade

Humane Animal Rescue Team has provided a no-kill sanctuary in Ventura County for senior, disabled and abused dogs since 1984. We also publish Muttmatchers Messenger, a bimonthly photo ad newspaper uniting grass-roots no-kill rescuers and shelters in Southern California in a vehicle to advertise their animals for placement.

Richard Avanzino has been a guest editorial writer for us for several years. He was our annual luncheon speaker last year. We applaud Rich as a champion of challenging all of us to work harder, do more and stop the killing.

How ironic that Roger Caras of the ASPCA should characterize the no-kill concept as “more hoax than fact” when, under his leadership, the ASPCA abandoned New York City animal control work because “they wanted to get out of the killing business.” The void of years and years of the ASPCA’s lack of vision and poor-quality animal control has left New York reeling under the weight of pet overpopulation, poorly constructed shelters and inexperienced animal control management.

The no-kill concept is not a hoax. It is a commitment. It starts with a vision. It is not a license to collect or warehouse animals. The no-kill concept is a crusade for the protection of companion animals that truly lives up to the name “humane.”

SUZANNE KANE

President and founder

HART/Muttmatchers

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