A: They include working with volunteers, partnering with rescue groups, medical and behavior rehabilitation efforts, foster care, a non-lethal feral cat sterilization program, high-volume and low-cost spay/neuter services, public relations, pet retention efforts, and more than anything else, a hard working compassionate director who is not content to hide behind the myth of "too many animals and not enough homes" or regurgitate tired clichés about public irresponsibility.

I refer to them collectively in the book as the No Kill equation, because it is that equation that allowed San Francisco to end the killing of healthy homeless dogs and cats, that allowed Tompkins County to become the nation's first No Kill community, and that is now allowing other communities to achieve greater and greater lifesaving success. (For a detailed listing and description of each, click here.)

If every shelter comprehensively implemented them, 4.5 million of the five million dogs and cats who will be killed in U.S. shelters this year would instead be saved.

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