Did you know that 2,248 of us need to adopt a pet to make New York a No Kill state? We can save so many innocent lives just by taking a furry friend home. It's not just New York, though.

Nationally, 415,000 dogs and cats were killed in shelters last year. It's hard to think about all those lives lost. Best Friends Animal Society, an organization working towards making America's shelters No Kill by 2025, has some good news.

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New York saw an increase in pets being saved last year, with the overall save rate rising to 90%. That's progress, but there is still more work that needs to be done. Dogs, in particular, need our help.

In 2023, over 1,500 dogs were killed, but that number dropped from 1,918 the year before. Cats are in a little better position, with 732 lives saved in 2023 compared to 1,564 in 2022.

According to Aurora Velazquez from Best Friends Animal Society, New York is making progress and saving over 90% of pets that are going into shelters. Collaboration has been the key, and it's great seeing organizations coming together to make an impact.

Nationally, pet adoption has been declining while more people are buying from breeders and pet stores. As a result, 415,000 adoptable pets were unnecessarily killed in shelters last year. It's time to change that.

If you're thinking about getting a pet, consider adoption! Best Friends has started a national campaign called 'Bring Love Home' to raise awareness about the animals still being killed in shelters.

Even if you can't adopt right now, there are plenty of other ways to help. Spay or neuter your pets, foster kittens or adult dogs, or donate to proven lifesaving programs. If everybody does a little bit, a lot gets done.

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With heat advisories in effect for a large portion of the country, now is the time to ensure you are prepared to keep your pets safe from the summer heat.

Gallery Credit: Kat Mykals

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Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor