U.S. Conference of Mayors Adopts Resolution to Save More Pets in Shelters

Mayors across the country voted to help shelters reach no-kill
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Best Friends PR Team prteam@bestfriends.org

On Friday, June 5, the United States Conference of Mayors came together in support of homeless pets by signing Resolution No. 3 at the organization’s 94th annual conference in Long Beach, Calif. Through this resolution, mayors around the country demonstrated a commitment to helping their communities achieve no-kill*, which means saving every healthy and treatable pet in shelters.  

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is composed of more than 1,500 mayors across the country. This resolution was sponsored by Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, Pa., Mayor Becky Daggett of Flagstaff, Ariz., Mayor Cassie Franklin of Everett, Wash., Mayor Todd Gloria of San Diego, Calif., Mayor Martha Guerrero of West Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Hillary Schieve of Reno, Nev., and Mayor Freddie O'Connell of Nashville, Tenn., who signed a no-kill proclamation for Nashville in May 2025.  

Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and make the country no-kill, commends the U.S. Conference of Mayors for their support of Resolution #3. The nonprofit hopes that following this resolution, more mayors will support the implementation of proven policies and programs that reduce the number of pets entering shelters, increase adoption and foster participation from community members, strengthen community engagement, and ultimately keep pets where they belong: out of shelters and in loving homes.  

“Today, 68% of shelters are no-kill, and many more have less than 100 additional pets left to save to reach that milestone, but they cannot do this work alone,” says Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “Local action sparks national change, and with the support of mayors and other government leaders around the country, achieving no-kill nationwide isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable.” 

In an effort to drive meaningful change for pets at the local level, Best Friends Animal Society has also collaborated with 22 governors to declare statewide proclamations that support the no-kill movement, including: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.  

Individuals can make a positive difference by adopting from shelters or rescue groups, spaying or neutering their pets, fostering pets in need, volunteering, donating, and supporting effective lifesaving programs. 

To learn more about Best Friends, visit bestfriends.org.  

*No-kill is defined by a 90% save rate or greater for pets 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 6,000 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®.