No-kill defines a movement and a philosophy. The term no-kill protests the killing of savable animals in our shelters every year. At the same time, it describes a new approach to animal sheltering and a new commitment to saving lives within animal welfare organizations and communities.

The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance subscribes to the Maddie’s definitions of “no-kill” which are healthy, treatable, unhealthy and untreatable:

The term "healthy" means and includes all dogs and cats eight weeks of age or older that, at or subsequent to the time the animal is taken into possession, have manifested no signs of a behavioral or temperamental characteristic that could pose a health or safety risk or otherwise make the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and have manifested no sign of disease, injury, a congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the health of the animal, or that is likely to adversely affect the animal's health in the future.
The term "treatable" means and includes all dogs and cats that are "rehabilitatable" and all dogs and cats that are "manageable."

• Rehabilitatable: The term "rehabilitatable" means and includes all dogs and cats who are not "healthy," but who are likely to become "healthy," if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community.
• Manageable: The term "manageable" means and includes all dogs and cats who are not "healthy" and who are not likely to become "healthy," regardless of the care provided; but who would likely maintain a satisfactory quality of life, if given medical, foster, behavioral, or other care, including long-term care, equivalent to the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring owners/guardians in the community; provided, however, that the term "manageable" does not include any dog or cat who is determined to pose a significant risk to human health or safety or to the health or safety of other animals.

The term "unhealthy and untreatable" means and includes all dogs and cats who, at or subsequent to the time they are taken into possession,

1. have a behavioral or temperamental characteristic that poses a health or safety risk or otherwise makes the animal unsuitable for placement as a pet, and are not likely to become "healthy" or "treatable" even if provided the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community; or
2. are suffering from a disease, injury, or congenital or hereditary condition that adversely affects the animal's health or is likely to adversely affect the animal's health in the future, and are not likely to become "healthy" or "treatable" even if provided the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community; or
3. are under the age of eight weeks and are not likely to become "healthy" or "treatable," even if provided the care typically provided to pets by reasonable and caring pet owners/guardians in the community.

Shelters that accept all animals such as Animal Control Agencies but save all the healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats under their care are no-kill shelters, no-kill communities save all of the healthy and treatable pets in all of the animal welfare agencies community-wide.  Shelters and rescue organizations that limit the number of animals they accept and do not typically perform euthanasia are considered adoption guarantee organizations.