In 2013, Maricopa County was one of the worst places to be a pet. Shelters were facing the second worst pet overpopulation crisis in the United States. The Arizona Humane Society was a large rescue shelter taking in thousands of homeless animals, but there were still many pets with treatable illnesses being euthanized throughout the state.

We knew a radical shift in thinking was needed to save more animal lives. So, we began systematically launching multiple initiatives to care for the most vulnerable in our community. Today, we take in the pets that other shelters can’t care for: the ones who are sick, who are injured, or who would normally be euthanized in other shelters because of their tough medical needs. We serve as a safety net for the Valley’s most vulnerable pets, and our Ethical No-Kill Philosophy™ ensures we never euthanize a pet for space or based on the length of time they’ve been with us.

And every effort has been worth it. Since 2013, we’ve reduced euthanasia by 83%—that’s 150,000 additional lives saved. Here’s how we’re transforming animal welfare in Arizona.