Delaware has become the first state in the country to be designated a no-kill state for shelter animals.

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The Delaware News Journal reported Friday that the state was officially designated a no-kill state recently by the Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit animal welfare organization that works with shelters across the country to help put an end to the euthanasia of unwanted pets in animal shelters across the country.

The state’s new no-kill status, which is reportedly achieved once a state reaches a save rate of 90 percent or above in its shelters, was partly thanks to efforts made by the Brandywine Valley SPCA, which reportedly takes in the majority of the state’s homeless pets annually.

The organization’s marketing director, Linda Torelli, told TODAY that the organization rolled out a number of efforts to help healthy dogs and cats find homes, including running promotions where residents could adopt animals at a reduced fee and offering open adoptions.

“They are weekendlong events where we adopt out over a thousand animals in two days,” Torelli told the outlet. “It’s an amazing experience. It’s really something to see.”

Torelli told the publication that the organization also offers free vaccines for pets to help owners curb costs and has launched a new “Trap, neuter and return” program in which animal advocates or community members can to capture stray cats, bring them in to local clinics to be neutered, and return them to the wild.

“There’s a long list of reasons why great pets end up in shelters,” Torelli also said in an interview with the publication.

“I’d encourage people to have an open mind of the kind of animals you’re going to find in a shelter. In most cases, you’re going to find what you’re looking for,” she added.