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Two Miss-Lou animal shelters have earned national recognition as “no-kill” shelters.

The Natchez-Adams County Humane Society and Hoofbeats and PawPrints Rescue both received the coveted “No-Kill Shelter” designation from the Best Friends Network.

The honor recognizes shelters that exceeded a 90 percent save rate for cats and dogs during 2022.

“This accomplishment represents so much more than a number,” the group stated in the award letter. “It represents a culture of caring and compassion. It represents a dedicated staff, committed volunteers and motivated supporters … Organizations that achieve and maintain no kill are made up of people who never forget that each fraction of those percentage points represents a life saved. These ‘numbers’ represent cherished family members who are only alive because of your dedication and hard work.”

In announcing the awards, the organizers at HPR noted that in the past 15 years, the Miss-Lou community has migrated from “high-kill” to “no-kill.”

“That is an amazing achievement and cause to celebrate,” organizers wrote on the HPR Facebook page.