Let’s Make Albuquerque a No-Kill City!
Part 1: Who are we?
I hope the answer is that we are a compassionate community that cares about our animals. After all, doesn’t the way we treat animals say much about who we are?
 Several times each week, we get calls from people who have found abandoned cats and want someone to take them. Our own foster system is almost always full, and we have to work with other groups and individuals to save these animals. In spite of the constant efforts of Fabulous Felines and other organizations and individuals, thousands of animals die on the streets, or in overcrowded shelters every year. I cannot continue to watch this and silently accept the standard answer that this is the best we can do.
Instead of reading the sad statistics of how too many of our 4-legged friends have been killed for no other reason than that someone didn’t love them back, I think it is time to ask ourselves what we can do to make Albuquerque a no-kill city. While the City is working toward positive change, our Animal Welfare Department cannot do it alone. Each and every one of us has a role! Even those without an animal companion can help, even if it is just through compassion for our furry brothers and sisters.
 To this end, Fabulous is launching a series of articles that asks what we can and must do to make Albuquerque a no-kill city. We will touch on the roles of animal guardians, rescue groups, our city government, and our citizens. We will look at what other cities have done to achieve no-kill status, and what we can learn from them here. We will present our own thoughts, along with interviews and guest editorials by people who are confronting these problems.
Some, even some within the animal rescue community, have locked themselves into thinking that a city like Albuquerque cannot achieve no-kill status. The magnitude of the problem, and the challenges we face seem overwhelming, but to know what is possible, we must try. Our goal is to start a conversation about what we can do to make Albuquerque a no-kill city, to build a community of people who believe that it is time to make a start in reaching this goal. Please put blind acceptance of the cruel status quo aside, and join us in making Albuquerque a no-kill city.
So, let’s go Albuquerque! Let’s start by adopting a demeanor of kindness, by discussing this idea among ourselves, and by sharing this and forthcoming articles with as many people as you can.
Sincerely,
Merry Stubblefield
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