No-kill is the practice of saving healthy, treatable and rehabilitatable pets and not ending their lives for the purpose of population control and/or problem-solving.

No-kill is about practicing the most relevant and contemporary animal services policies. When implemented in its entirety, contemporary animal services result in safe communities and vibrant animal shelters that serve as resource centers for people and pets. The main goals are to keep families together, find new homes for pets in need and eliminate premature end-of-life actions.

Euthanasia is an act of mercy and should be used to describe an ending of an animal's suffering who has experienced serious and irreversible reduction to their quality of life or has no hope of recovery.

No-kill is not about ending euthanasia for pets suffering irremediably or pets that are legitimately unsafe to adopt out. No-kill is not about pets living their lives in crates or kennels.

No-kill is not about hoarding, any form of mental illness or recklessness that results in the degradation of the quality of life of a pet. Pets' lives should not be ended prematurely because they have not been adopted within a specific time period.

Euthanasia is not prematurely ending the life of a healthy or treatable animal to make space for other animals, or for some other reason, such as treatable medical conditions or advanced age.

- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary