Dollars & Sense
What does it cost to achieve No Kill? And does it necessarily cost more overall? Over the last several years, the No Kill Advocacy Center analyzed shelter funding and save rates in multiple states, the economic impact on shelter expenses and revenue, as well as the economic impact on community businesses and tax revenues. After analyzing that data, the answer became pretty clear: saving lives is more cost effective than killing.
No Kill is cost-effective, fiscally responsible, and a great economic boon to local communities. Municipalities which want to enact good policy and improve the local economy should invest in lifesaving at their local shelter. Given the cost savings and additional revenues of doing so (reduced costs associated with killing, enhanced community support, an increase in adoption revenues and other user fees, and additional tax revenues), as well as the positive economic impact of adoptions, a community cannot afford not to embrace No Kill.
Case Study: Marquette, MI
In 2006, the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS), the open admission shelter which serves Marquette, MI, was killing 64% of animals and on the verge of bankruptcy when it chose to embrace the No Kill philosophy. At the time, they were very close to ceasing operations and had little to lose: if they continued on the path they were on, they would have to close their doors. You can read about their transformation by clicking here.
Since that time, the number of animals saved rather than killed has increased dramatically. Immediately after announcing its No Kill mission, UPAWS saved 93%. It has been steadily increasing. In 2015, UPAWS saved 97% of dogs, 96% of cats, and 97% of rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, and other animals.
What did it cost? When UPAWS was killing 64% of the animals, they spent $190.85 per animal. Now saving over 95%, they spend $207.58. At the same time, however, they lost $178,636 in adoption revenue when they were killing the animals and it would only have cost them $15,660 more to actually save them. But that’s not at all: while the cost per animal went up slightly (8%), so did revenue: an overall increase of 61%.
The conclusion? We can afford to save them all.
Since that time, the number of animals saved rather than killed has increased dramatically. Immediately after announcing its No Kill mission, UPAWS saved 93%. It has been steadily increasing. In 2015, UPAWS saved 97% of dogs, 96% of cats, and 97% of rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, and other animals.
What did it cost? When UPAWS was killing 64% of the animals, they spent $190.85 per animal. Now saving over 95%, they spend $207.58. At the same time, however, they lost $178,636 in adoption revenue when they were killing the animals and it would only have cost them $15,660 more to actually save them. But that’s not at all: while the cost per animal went up slightly (8%), so did revenue: an overall increase of 61%.
The conclusion? We can afford to save them all.
Case Study: Polk County, FL
A 2016 Florida Southern College study of the impact of the SPCA of Florida on the regional economy found that for every $1 in revenue generated by the SPCA, $1.67 was created in the regional economy.
On top of that, the SPCA’s adoption center generates over $5.7 million yearly in economic impact (as adopters spend money on veterinary care, pet supplies, shop while in the area, and more), has provided approximately one additional employee to each of Polk County’s 179 for-profit veterinarians, and helps reduce intakes and costs at the local municipal shelter.
Overall, from 2010-2015, the SPCA had an overall regional economic impact of $71 million.
The 2016 analysis is only the latest to prove that saving lives not only makes ethical sense. It makes dollars and cents.
On top of that, the SPCA’s adoption center generates over $5.7 million yearly in economic impact (as adopters spend money on veterinary care, pet supplies, shop while in the area, and more), has provided approximately one additional employee to each of Polk County’s 179 for-profit veterinarians, and helps reduce intakes and costs at the local municipal shelter.
Overall, from 2010-2015, the SPCA had an overall regional economic impact of $71 million.
The 2016 analysis is only the latest to prove that saving lives not only makes ethical sense. It makes dollars and cents.
