The Charleston Animal Society (CAS) announced this week it is close to reaching its longtime goal for animal shelters in South Carolina not to kill animals in trouble.
The animal protection nonprofit, which was established in 1874, said its ultimate aim is to reduce the euthanasia rate to 10% or less in the state’s open admission shelters.
The goal is part of a statewide initiative called No Kill South Carolina (NKSC) 2024, created by CAS to save healthy, treatable and adoptable animals across the Palmetto State.
The organization has tracked data on euthanasia rates since 2016. At that time, the vast majority of counties in the state saw euthanasia rates of 21% or higher.
But by 2022, CAS found that most of South Carolina’s counties achieved an euthanasia rate of 10% or less, and six counties were not far behind with a rate of 11% to 20%.
As of last year, only seven counties were above the 21% mark, including Barnwell, Cherokee, Florence, Marion, Sumter, Richland and Williamsburg. Six other counties were either without open admission shelters or had no accessible data.
CAS said that it attributes the decrease in euthanasia numbers to statewide teamwork, better communication and improved strategies.
“Achieving the NKSC 2024 goal is an uphill battle in a state where shelters are underfunded, where we have no statewide regulations of animal shelters, no state-required training of Animal Control Officers and no required data reporting for all animal shelters,” said Joe Elmore, CAS president and CEO. “But we know that if South Carolina can do it, any state can do it. That’s why so many people around the country are cheering this effort on.”
First NKSC 2024 State Summit hosted in Columbia
The No Kill SC 2024 State Summit took place Jan. 11 in Columbia. More than 40 national and state animal welfare organizations attended the inaugural event.
The purpose of the summit was to formulate strategies to help South Carolina become a no-kill state, making it the first no-kill state in the Southern U.S.
“This goal began as a dream in 2016, funded by Petco Love, and while we are so close to making this achievement a reality, there are still hurdles to clear,” said Abigail Appleton, NKSC chief project officer. “We will discuss the state of animal sheltering, and problem solve remaining life saving obstacles, in light of new challenges such as a national veterinarian shortage, a difficult labor market and a rollercoaster economy.”
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