Euthanasia Policy

The New Westminster Animal Shelter values each and every animal that enters our doors. Our first objective is to reunite lost animals with their rightful owners. For those animals who stay with us, our goal is to find loving adopters. Occasionally, we may transfer some animals to other shelters or rescue organizations.

Unfortunately, some animals arrive in our care with significant physical and/or mental suffering. If we cannot address this suffering, and/or the animal poses a significant risk to the public, we believe it is our responsibility to consider euthanasia. Typically, our euthanasia rate is 3-4% of all the animals who come to our shelter. This low rate meets the parameters of the commonly-used term “no kill”. We do not euthanize animals based on factors such as age, duration of stay, or treatable medical conditions.

What No Kill Really Means