Shelter Overwhelmed By All The People Dropping Off Pets

Jun 29, 2019 by apost team

Tuesday saw one of the biggest pet surrenders at the Harris County Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas. People were waiting in line for two and a half hours before being able to drop off the animals.

The view was of people taking up all the plastic chairs available with dogs on leashes, in cases, and in crates next to them. The line was so long that it stretched out all the way to the parking lot outside in the hot weather.

“There is a 2 1/2 hr wait today to surrender an animal at Harris County Animal Shelter. That is how many animals we are receiving!” the shelter shared in a post on Facebook. "If people can’t wait or don’t want to wait they tying them up to a tree and leaving or abandoning them in a box in our parking lot."

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The shelter is now in a desperate situation, where they have been forced to house almost triple their official maximum capacity of 200 animals, with them currently having 530 animals under their wing. The situation has been described as an outright 'capacity crisis' by Kerry McKeel, the spokesperson for the shelter.   

“The most common reasons we have received are tied to lifestyle changes — moving, [the] landlord will not allow, can no longer afford,” McKeel told the Dodo. “Some people also simply say that they no longer want the pet or that they found the pet.”

Some people straight out admit that they do not want the pet anymore. Many have found the pet abandoned and cannot care for it. Because the shelter is part of the municipality, it is required to take all animals that are brought to it regardless of their age, breed, character or health. During the summer, it is normal for the shelter to receive more than a hundred animals in a single week.

“Summer is traditionally our busiest intake season, partially due to the year-round breeding season in Texas,” McKeel explained. “We receive a lot of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens.”

The shelter urges the members of the community to consider adopting or fostering a pet for the shelter, so as to free up space for more pets and save lives. Additionally, McKee says it is important to keep pets on a leash so as to avoid them running away.

"More than half of the animals at the shelter are strays," she said. "Less than 10 percent have identification (tags or microchip) preventing the ability for the shelter with a way to reunite lost pets with owners."

What do you think is the solution to pet ownership? What would make the lives of pets and the work of shelters better? Have you ever fostered a pet? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!