National Group's Stats Show Seattle Humane Society Among Top Save Rates in Nation

Seattle Humane Society, which shelters more than 5,000 homeless pets per year, has achieved one of the highest life-saving rates in the country, according to a new database of shelter statistics.

Maddie's Fund, a foundation that advocates for decreasing euthanasia, keeps national statistics on the percentage of animals saved and adopted each year by animal rescue groups.

Click here to take a look at the database.

The Maddie’s Fund database showed that Seattle Humane Society had the third-highest “save rate” in the nation – 91.4 percent -- among shelters that placed more than 5,000 animals in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics were compiled. The comparison includes all "traditional shelters" and "adoption guarantee" shelters.

Among animal shelters, the “save rate” is the percentage of surrendered, stray and abandoned animals who leave a shelter alive and are placed into adoptive homes, rescue groups, or returned to their owners.

“This achievement is impressive, especially because we are an open-admission shelter that accepts every animal who comes to us,” said David Loewe, CEO for Seattle Humane, in a prepared statement. “We are very proud of this milestone, and even prouder that our records show our 2010 save rate is even higher – 94.1 percent.”

According to the Seattle Humane Society, the shelter has no time limits on a pet’s stay, giving pets as long as it takes for the agency to find them a loving home. The shelter also trains the families in proper care for the pets with classes.

“This milestone is also a reflection of our community – including our donors, volunteers and staff -- and their commitment to the care and placement of the pets who come to us,” Loewe said in a prepared statement. “We could not achieve this significant recognition without the support of our community – especially the more than 1,400 volunteers who donate their time, energy and even their homes for foster care.”

The shelters ranking 1st and 2nd among agencies which admit more than 5,000 pets per year were Nevada Humane Society in Reno and Oregon Humane Society in Portland.

-- Information from and Maddie's Fund