Euthanasia kills more animals than any "disease" studied in veterinary college; therefore, educating veterinary students concerning methods for insuring homes for all pets is a priority. Education must emphasize the need for veterinarians to take leadership roles in effective efforts to reduce, and ultimately to eliminate euthanasia as a means of animal control. Education must advance the "no-kill" philosophy. Specifically, students must be taught non-lethal strategies for pet population control, emphasizing the veterinarians' critical role in collaborating to achieve the goal of a "no-kill nation". Of critical importance is teaching veterinary students the fundamentals of shelter medicine.

In addition to student education, education efforts should focus on specialized training of a graduate veterinarian in shelter medicine and continuing education for practicing veterinarians and shelter managers. Finally, to advance knowledge in the field of shelter medicine, cutting-edge research focusing on improving the lives of shelter pets and non-lethal strategies for pet population control should be conducted.

Homelessness is the largest welfare issue surrounding dogs and cats in this country today. According to the Humane Society of the United States, between eight and twelve million pets are surrendered to animal shelters across the country annually. Surveys indicate that the sources of these pets include unwanted litters (resulting from unintentional or irresponsible breedings), owner-relinquished pets, free-roaming and feral animals (particularly cats), and lost or abandoned animals. Unfortunately, between four and six million of these animals are euthanized annually, at a tax-payer cost of approximately $2 billion. Mass euthanasia is not an acceptable means of population control. In addition to the moral issue, the surplus of pets can create public health and nuisance problems.

Euthanasia of healthy unwanted cats and dogs remains the leading cause of death of these species. The current estimate of 4-6 million annual euthanasias has decreased markedly since the 1980's when an estimated 17 million cats and dogs were killed each year in the United States. Awareness of the magnitude of the problem, humane education and promotion of surgical sterilization are responsible for this dramatic decrease. The pet overpopulation problem, however, is far from being solved. Euthanasia is still widely used as an animal control procedure. In addition, the dynamics of the problem are changing, with cats currently outnumbering dogs entering many shelters in the U.S.

Recently, a new approach to animal control has been implemented in many communities across the U.S. based on a "no-kill" philosophy. This approach involves implementing community collaborations to address the surplus of pets in order to reduce and ultimately eliminate euthanasia as an animal control procedure. Animal welfare agencies and practicing veterinarians form networks to sterilize pets in communities and to increase adoptions of pets from shelters. Clearly, the best "shelter" is a humane community. Non-lethal methods of pet control not only save lives, but send a message of humanity and respect for life to future generations of citizens and animals.