North Dakota is One Shelter Away from Becoming a No-Kill State

Best Friends Animal Society’s data shows 14 of the state’s 15 shelters achieved no-kill in 2025
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North Dakota has wrapped up a momentous year for pet lifesaving. According to data from Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters, North Dakota is just one shelter away from becoming a no-kill* state, which means saving every healthy and treatable pet in shelters. 

In 2025, 14 of North Dakota’s 15 animal shelters saved 90 percent or more of the pets in their care, which is the commonly accepted benchmark for no-kill. As of January 2026, only one shelter, City of Jamestown Animal Control, still needs to achieve a 90 percent save rate to take the entire the state no-kill. According to Best Friends’ data, the shelter saved nearly 88 percent of the pets in its care in 2025, with just seven cats left to save to end the unnecessary killing of pets at the shelter.  

To continue the state’s positive lifesaving momentum, Governor Kelly Armstrong proclaimed January as North Dakota No-Kill Animal Shelter Month for the second year in a row. Best Friends applauds this critical initiative that solidifies the state’s steadfast commitment to becoming no-kill this year. 

“North Dakota is incredibly close to becoming the Heartland’s first no-kill state,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “The state has made impressive strides in pet lifesaving over the past few years, and it’s clear that North Dakotans value the health and safety of dogs and cats in their communities. With just one not yet no-kill shelter and the continued support of Governor Armstrong, we know this lifesaving milestone is within reach.”  

To end the killing of pets at City of Jamestown Animal Control, a collaborative approach among community members, elected officials, and the shelter is essential. Best Friends is encouraging North Dakotans to show support for a change in local legislation that would result in better management of community cat populations and ultimately lead to more lives saved.  

Individuals can also be part of the solution by adopting from shelters or rescue groups across the state. Best Friends’ data shows that about seven million households nationwide will add a pet to their family over the next year, and if just six percent more of them choose to adopt from a shelter rather than purchase from a breeder or pet store, the entire country could reach no-kill. Other ways to help include fostering dogs and cats in need, volunteering, and donating to local shelters and rescue groups.   

To learn more about how to help take North Dakota no-kill, 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®.