The city is the largest to receive the "no-kill" designation.

Best Friends Animal Society, one of the nation's largest nonprofit animal welfare organizations, has officially designated Los Angeles a No-Kill city!

In a statement on the No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA) website, the Utah-based nonprofit celebrated, saying, "When Best Friends launched the No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA) initiative in 2012, only 56% of the dogs and cats in the city’s shelters were making it out alive. But thanks to the hard work of so many, including the entire NKLA Coalition, Mayor Garcetti, Los Angeles Animal Services, our fabulous local community and devoted volunteers, we are thrilled to announce a sustained save rate of 90.49% for 2020."

According to L.A. local culture publication LAist, the "sustained save rate" mentioned "references the number of animals who are rescued and then rehoused, fostered or adopted." L.A. just passed the "90% threshold needed to claim no-kill status." 

Jennifer Pimentel, Executive Director of Best Friends Los Angeles, told LAist, "The community stepped up like never before. Foster placements went through the roof, and groups really started working directly with the community to find alternatives for people who needed to surrender their pets … it was a lot of things over a really grueling year.

According to Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, "Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the entire country, and now has become the most populous, geographically largest and most racially and economically diverse city to become no-kill. The achievement of NKLA, a Best Friends initiative, represents 10 years of passion, commitment, blood, sweat and tears by LAAS, coalition partners, the people of Los Angeles and beyond."

Do you have an adopted furry friend? Tell us what you think of this news in the comments.