More than 160 communities across the country are achieving no-kill in their shelters and animal control agencies. Although those communities represent a wide spectrum including urban, rural, affluent, struggling, large and small, they do have one thing in common: a set of proven methods for saving all their healthy and treatable pets. What are those methods?

Maddie’s Fund^® interviewed people in 17 communities chosen from the list of those that have achieved a save rate of greater than 90 percent, as compiled by Out the Front Door.

Tip number one, chosen by 19 respondents: marketing and PR. Among their comments:

• “Good relations with local media are so important. We’re on a first
  name basis with local media people who promote us a lot and who let the
  community know when we need things and have events.”
• “It’s important to have great PR in order to have a community
  presence. You need to have a clear purpose of saving lives and
  communicate that to the community so they’ll jump on the bandwagon.”
• “We have great marketing of all kinds: Website, Facebook, Twitter, e-blasts, community events.”

Read the rest of their proven steps to success, and view the list of organizations interviewed, in Common Elements of No-Kill Success.