No-kill shelter misconception
LISA HOBBS - News Editor
Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center is deemed a no-kill shelter, says supervisor Jeff Tubb.
It’s a myth that no-kill shelters do not euthanize under any circumstances. A no-kill shelter is one that does not euthanize healthy or treatable animals based on time limits or capacity. However, it does euthanasia terminally ill animals, animals suffering poor quality of life, or those considered dangerous to public safety.
Tubb says there is also a percentage that must also be considered.
“Out in the community there was some things going around that we are not a no-kill shelter,” said Tubb. “I put the numbers together. We have to stay below a 10 percent euthanizations vs. the dogs we have in the shelter, our adoptions and our daily census and our return to owners and the animals we send to rescues. So, for 2025, we did euthanize 13 dogs that year. With the adoptions census and return to owner, that put us at 6 percent, so we are under the 10 percent. For 2025, we still qualified as a no-kill shelter. I ran the numbers through July 31. For the year so far in 2026, we have euthanized 12 dogs. Again, the adoptions, the census, the return to owners and sent to rescues, we are at 8 percent, so we are below the 10 percent. We still quality as a no-kill shelter.”
The information was presented to members of the county’s Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday after the supervision provided members with a July report.
During the month of July, the facility took in 20 cats and 9 dogs, adopted out 13 cats and 12 dogs, and returned 3 dogs to their owners. On July 31, the facility had 12 cats and 34 dogs. The facility received 246 calls and six total road calls. It accepted $520 in donations, $550 in return to owner fees, and a restitution of $100 was collected.
“We follow the guidelines that you guys set,” said Tubb, referencing Health and Welfare Committee members. “We are strict about it.”
Warren County Health Department Director Andrea Fox provided committee members with a July report.
“During the month of July, which is the month we moved in, our visits were 2,488 for 2,191 clients and we completed 103 vaccines,” stated Fox.
Health and Welfare Committee members unanimously accepted both reports.