CARE Humane Society overcrowding pets

Since there is not enough space for the pets, pets are everywhere the staff can place them such as in the bathrooms and offices. Jennifer Warren, the shelter's director of development, said it's not fair to the staff or the animals.

From July 1 to 2, CARE Humane Society had an intake of 31 pets and 11 of those were strays and 20 were owner surrenders. In June, the shelter had 163 intakes and they can house comfortable about 120 pets in kennels.  

“Our staff is drowning and tired,” Warren said. “This line of work is emotionally and physically demanding and deteriorating.” 

The shelter launched programs to reduce the overcrowding such as their intake diversion program to help people care for their pets and their Snyp Plus Program to offer a decreased price for getting people’s pets spayed or neutered.

The intake diversion program was launched September 2023, and it is still ongoing. It's a way for the shelter to pay for services and items that helps owners keep their pets instead of bringing them to the shelter to start the adoption process over again. 

The program has helped with the situation, but lately the shelter is seeing it helping only about 1% due to the owner surrenders being in multiple numbers. An owner surrender on Tuesday was 13 pets from one individual.  

“What that grant does is if anybody calls in and they say, ‘I have a pet that keeps escaping,’ we can offer a kennel for them or if somebody says, I just can’t afford this pet,’ we’ll supply food,” Warren said. 

The shelter usually has a surge in the summertime. Warren said the shelter had a big amount of intake of litters of puppies and kittens, and the community can help by adopting, fostering and volunteering.

“Those are great ways to support the shelter,” she said. “Also, we just need everybody to spread the word about being responsible and getting their pet spayed or neutered. With the shelter, any pet that comes into our care either has to be spayed or neutered before leaving or a contract will be signed stating that they will get that pet spayed or neutered.” 

Pets being euthanized is a possibility when there isn't enough space in the shelter.

“Euthanizing a pet is one of the most heart-wrenching decisions that shelter staff must face, especially when it stems from overcrowding,” Warren said. “Each day, our dedicated team works tirelessly to provide the best care possible for every animal that comes through our doors.”

The reality of limited resources and space sometimes forces them into making incredibly painful choices, and the emotional toll on the staff is immense. 

“Every animal we care for becomes part of our shelter family, and choosing to euthanize them due to overcrowding feels like an unbearable loss,” she said. “It's a decision that weighs heavily in our hearts as we constantly strive to balance our commitment to the well-being of each individual pet with the harsh constraints of our environment.” 

CARE Humane Society takes every possible measure to avoid euthanasia, including aggressive adoption campaigns, foster programs and partnerships with rescue organizations. 

Despite the efforts, the sheer number of homeless pets can sometimes surpass their compacity, and then those moments, they are reminded of the urgent need for community support in the form of spaying and neutering pets, responsible pet ownership and adoption.  

“The sadness and grief we experience are profound, but we remain dedicated to our mission,” Warren said. “Our hope is that, through continued education and community involvement, we can one day eliminate the need for such heartbreaking decisions.”

CARE Humane Society continues to have its Snyp Plus program, which offers a decreased price for getting people’s pets spayed or neutered. 

“People would get a voucher and then they would take that voucher to one of our event partners, and they would get their pet spayed or neutered for a reduced rate depending on their insurance,” Warren said. 

Making sure your pets are spayed or neutered or up to date on their shots are great ways to help prevent overcrowding the shelter.

Warren said that there are procedures people can go through whenever they find a stray animal before bringing them to the shelter, such as posting about it to see if they can hopefully find whose pet it is. 

Euthanizing pets due to overcrowding is not just a heartbreaking task for shelter staff, it's a clear indicator of a broader community issue that requires urgent attention.

“This distressing situation is deteriorating because the root cause lies within the community itself; an overwhelming number of homeless pets,” Warren said. “The cycle of overcrowding and euthanasia is perpetuated by factors such as unaltered pets, irresponsible breeding and lack of awareness about the importance of pet adoption.”

The issue reflects a community-wide challenge because it underscores the need for collective responsibility and action. 

Every pet owner, potential pet owner and community member plays a crucial role in addressing the crisis.

“By spaying and neutering pets, supporting local shelters through adoption and fostering and spreading awareness about responsible pet ownership, we can work together to alleviate overcrowding,” she said.

It's essential for the community to recognize that the fate of the animals is in their hands. Shelters are doing everything they can, but without community support, the problem will continue to worsen.

By coming together, the community can create a more compassionate environment where no animal has to face euthanasia due to lack of space.

Following CARE Humane Society on social media to educate yourself or be aware of any events they have coming up will help.

Warren said the shelter is not a business that makes money; they are a business that runs on donations to operate and does a lot for the community. 

“Let's work collectively to make our community a place where every pet has a loving home,” she said. 

For more information about CARE Humane Society and to donate to the programs, visit beacons.ai/carehumanesociety/ or go by the shelter and visit in person.