Governor Ayotte Declares September as No-Kill Shelter Month in New Hampshire

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Best Friends PR Team prteam@bestfriends.org
Best Friends Animal Society Recognizes Governor’s Proclamation as Milestone for New Hampshire Dogs and Cats

Governor Kelly Ayotte has officially proclaimed September as No-Kill* Shelter Month in New Hampshire, underscoring the state’s continued leadership and commitment to saving the lives of pets in local shelters.  

Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters, applauds this declaration as an important step in continuing New Hampshire's pet lifesaving efforts.  

The proclamation celebrates New Hampshire’s achieving and maintaining no-kill since 2021, making it one of only three currently no-kill states in the nation. It also recognizes the dedication of Granite Staters who choose to adopt rather than purchase pets, the tireless work of local animal shelters and rescue groups, and the importance of community-supported programming to ensure pets receive the care they need to thrive. 

“With Governor Ayotte’s leadership, New Hampshire continues to stand as a model for what’s possible when an entire state embraces lifesaving,” said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. “By recognizing September as No-Kill Shelter Month, New Hampshire is inspiring residents to continue adopting, fostering and supporting shelters – bringing us one step closer to making the entire country no-kill.” 

With this proclamation, New Hampshire joins 19 other states that have issued official declarations in an effort to unify and mobilize the public to help get dogs and cats out of shelters and into loving homes. 

To learn more, visit bestfriends.org.  

 
*No-kill is defined by a 90% save rate for animals entering a shelter and is a meaningful and common-sense benchmark for measuring lifesaving progress. Typically, the number of pets who are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life and prevent them from being rehomed is not more than 10% of all dogs and cats entering shelters. For any community to be no-kill, all stakeholders in that community must work together to achieve and sustain that common goal while prioritizing community safety and good quality of life for pets as guiding no-kill principles. This means cooperation among animal shelters, animal rescue groups, government agencies, community members and other stakeholders, all committed to best practices and protocols.    

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 5,500 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.