The Orange County Animal Shelter staff works in a bright, spacious new building on Eubanks Road. But that lovely new space hasn't changed the ugly truth that almost half the animals that come into the shelter never leave alive. Shelter staff had to euthanize, by lethal injection, almost 1,800 dogs and cats last year, 44 percent of the animals the shelter took in.

That's better than the national average of 50 percent, but it's still way too many. Orange County Animal Services last week presented a five-year strategic plan to the Board of Commissioners aimed at reducing the euthanasia rate to 35 percent or less.

It's a thorough, laudable initiative, and we enthusiastically support it.

By far the most effective way to reduce the number of animals killed is to reduce the number of animals born. That means an aggressive, sustained campaign to spay and neuter as many dogs and cats as possible.

Some municipalities have passed laws mandating the sterilization of virtually all pets. We're not at that point. Orange County's approach is more carrot than stick. The idea is to make spays and neuters as easy, convenient and cheap as possible, and to make sure people know about those opportunities.

The biggest obstacle to spaying and neutering, aside from the human tendency toward inertia, is cost.

The county is addressing that challenge by partnering with Social Services and other organizations to offer low- or no-cost option, such as the $20 Fix program. For people who can't afford that, Animal Services can provide a voucher for a free surgery.

That collaboration is paying off already; the number of pets sterilized through the $20 Fix program in Orange County leaped from 50 in its first year, 2008, to 220 last year, with 92 of those referred by Social Services.

There is no good reason a civilized and compassionate community like this one should have to kill hundreds of healthy dogs and cats every year.

You can find out more and read the strategic plan at www.co.orange.nc.us/animalservices/spayneuter.asp.