West Valley City to announce goal of no-kill animal shelter

The West Valley City Council will issue a proclamation Tuesday night that sets a goal of obtaining a "no-kill" designation for its animal shelter.

The proclamation asks groups and individuals to join the city in promoting responsible animal ownership, increasing adoptions and reducing euthanasia. No-kill actually means low-kill because just about all shelters put down animals that are dangerous, gravely injured or too sick to recover. Organizations and shelters have different definitions of the term: Some use a percentage or number, while others define no-kill as putting down only animals considered ineligible for adoption.

The West Valley shelter, which also serves Taylorsville, took in approximately 5,000 animals last year and put down about 1,700 animals. Most of the euthanized animals were sick, injured or not adoptable because they were vicious or feral, officials said.

Becoming a no-kill shelter already has the support of Taylorsville Mayor Russ Wall. In his State of the City address on Feb. 1, Wall called for his city and West Valley to work together to get that designation in three years. The West Valley City proclamation does not set a deadline.

The council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall, 3600 S. Constitution Blvd. (2700 West). Visit http://bit.ly/zRUz6w to read the proclamation.

pmanson@sltrib.com

Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC