APL receives 'no-kill shelter' recognition
Jun. 22—KINGSVILLE — The Ashtabula County APL recently received recognition from the Best Friends Animal Society as a "no-kill" shelter, according to a press release from the APL.
The recognition goes to shelters that save 90 percent or more of animals that come into the shelter, according to the Best Friends Animal Society's website.
"We are proud to have creatively and tenaciously sought opportunities and programs to improve our live release rate each year. Since 2020 we have continuously improved our outcomes each year. Through programs like our Golden Years and Rodent Ranger adoption programs and extensive work in enrichment and fostering, we are improving the lives of animals in Ashtabula County every day," Mary Glauser, executive director of the ACAPL, said in the release.
Best Friends Animal Society's data shows the ACAPL saved 91.45 percent of animals that entered the shelter, for 2023, saving 1,209 of 1,322 animals that entered the shelter.
On Friday, Glauser said the APL has been working on the recognition for the last four years.
"Our live release rate has been above 90 for the last two years, but this year was the first year we applied with them," she said. "They came out and did a site visit, and we gave them access to all of our numbers, our database, so they can track it in real time."
She said Best Friends is one of the most reputable organizations nationwide for recognizing significant achievement at animal shelters.
"Even though we know we've been doing a good job and continually improving, I think the fact that an organization that is so well-known and renowned for that, and really looks for the highest standards in animal care and sheltering, to be recognized by them is really something special for us," Glauser said.
Best Friends will automatically review the ACAPL's numbers every year, and they have access to real-time data about what the shelter is doing, she said.
"Our goal is to continue to improve," Glauser said. "We actually not only met that [90 percent] benchmark, we exceeded it. ... As of April, 2024, we're at 92 [percent]."
The ACAPL was also asked to be a mentor shelter, she said.
"Our little shelter in Ashtabula County received sponsorship to go out and help other shelters improve their number," Glauser said.
"I think that's something the community should be really proud of, is that, not only are we doing great things here in Ashtabula County, but we're being asked to help others."
