DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado’s unadopted furry friends are better off than in most states.

The Best Friends Animal Society released data on how many of each state’s shelter animals were taken in, adopted or killed as well as the ratio of no-kill shelters. Nationally, about 86% of pets taken into shelters end up killed while about 57% of shelters are designated no-kill shelters, which the society designates as a shelter in which 90% or more of animals are saved.

Colorado has an exceptional record among U.S. states. In the Centennial State, 0.79% of cats and dogs taken into shelters are killed, the eighth-lowest rate in the country. Rates are lowest in Vermont, New Hampshire and Delaware. In these states, 100% of animal shelters are no-kill shelters.

Colorado also has one of the highest shares of no-kill shelters. Of the state’s 70 reporting shelters, 61 are no-kill, or 87% – the nation’s fifth-highest share.

Colorado’s rate is a stark contrast to Alabama, which has the nation’s highest rate of pets killed in shelters. About 15.37% of shelter pets were killed there in 2022, while only 34.15% of the state’s shelters were designated no-kill shelters. In North Carolina, 14.8% of shelter pets were killed. Hawaii, Texas and Arkansas complete the states with the highest rates of killed shelter animals.