An animal advocacy group is pushing for an ordinance it believes will cut down on euthanasia at the Huntsville shelter.

The ordinance – called the Huntsville Animal Protection Act [HAPA] – would codify some of the operations of Huntsville Animal Services, according to Aubrie Kavanaugh of No Kill Huntsville.

The euthanasia rate at Huntsville animal shelter was higher than normal during the summer, Animal Services Director Karen Sheppard told The Lede last month. She said dog adoptions had been sluggish.

Animal Services made an appeal for adoptions and fostering over the holidays, which Sheppard said was effective. But she said the shelter was again full this week.

“We’ve seen a pretty substantial drop in the live release rate at the shelter,” Kavanaugh said. “We think a lot of it has to do with euthanasia decisions.”