Due to efforts to avoid euthanasia of animals, Maricopa County Animal Care and Control has been certified as a no-kill shelter for the seventh consecutive year.

Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit that has worked with animal shelters across the country for decades, considers an animal shelter to be “no kill” if it has a survival rate of 90% or higher.

“We're proud that, on average, we have a rescue rate of about 95 percent,” said Kim Powell, spokesperson for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. “We have a wonderful staff that cares for the dogs, and we also have dedicated volunteers that not only help us care for the dogs, but also network for the dogs on our behalf and help find them homes.”

In 2023, the county took in 16,342 animals.Of those, 10,828 were adopted, 1,931 were safely rehomed, and 1,698 were sent to rescue organizations.

“Our rescue partners take in dogs that have behavioral or health issues, and they take in dogs that would unfortunately have to be put down and give them a second chance,” Powell said.

She almost The received animal is lost.

“If the dog doesn't have a microchip or a collar with an ID tag, we can't contact the owner, so we hold them as stray for 72 hours and then they're inspected,” Powell said. “If the dog has a microchip or some kind of ID tag, we hold them as stray for a minimum of five days.”

For people considering giving up their pets, the county has a navigator Help find resourcesLow-cost veterinary care and training, and more.