Idaho Declares February 5 as Idaho Loves Shelter Animals Day

Governor Brad Little has proclaimed today, February 5, as Idaho Loves Shelter Animals Day, a critical initiative aimed at making Idaho a no-kill* state this year. This effort underlines Idaho’s commitment to ending the unnecessary killing of dogs and cats throughout the state’s shelters.  

Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters in 2025, welcomes this pivotal step in Idaho’s pet lifesaving efforts.

"Governor Little’s announcement is a significant milestone for the no-kill movement, motivating communities across Idaho to save shelter dogs and cats and get them into loving homes where they belong,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “We commend Governor Little for leading this essential effort to safeguard the lives of our beloved pets.”

Data from Best Friends indicates that two out of three U.S. shelters are already no-kill, and hundreds more are within reach of that goal. As of October 2024, Best Friends data shows that 64% of shelters across America are no-kill.

Achieving and maintaining no-kill represents a genuine, committed effort to lifesaving and transparency, ensuring a safe, high-quality life for all shelter pets. This benchmark is possible through the concerted actions of community members, animal welfare professionals, and governmental support.

"Idaho has made impressive progress in saving the lives of pets, but achieving a no-kill future will take collective effort,” said Castle. “Governor Little’s proclamation highlights that Idaho can reach no-kill status if more people adopt from shelters instead of buying from breeders or pet stores. We’re urging all Idahoans to help us make Idaho—and the entire country—no-kill this year."

Individuals can contribute by adopting from shelters or rescue groups, spaying or neutering their pets, fostering animals in need, volunteering, donating, and supporting effective lifesaving programs.

To learn more about Best Friends and donate, visit bestfriends.org.  

* No-kill is defined by a 90% save rate for animals entering a shelter and is a meaningful and common-sense benchmark for measuring lifesaving progress. Typically, the number of pets who are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life and prevent them from being rehomed is not more than 10% of all dogs and cats entering shelters. For any community to be no-kill, all stakeholders in that community must work together to achieve and sustain that common goal while prioritizing community safety and good quality of life for pets as guiding no-kill principles. This means cooperation among animal shelters, animal rescue groups, government agencies, community members and other stakeholders, all committed to best practices and protocols.