Animal Resource Center at critical capacity, community urged to help adopt or foster dogs

DAYTON, Ohio (WKEF) — There's an urgent need right now here at Montgomery County Animal Resource Center. The center says it's over capacity and desperately needs to find homes for dozens of dogs in its care.

The animal resource center currently has 104 dogs in their care while its shelter is designed to safely house only 80, according to Amy Bohardt, Montgomery County Animal Resource Center director.

“We are critically over 80, which is why we have put out the urgent need for help. Unfortunately, it's very, very rare for us to be under our capacity, which is really where we want to be, so that there's a cushion of space available for dogs who have that need,” said Bohardt.

The center is calling on the community to help, and there are several ways to do so. Bohardt says if they have dogs moving through our adoption or foster programs, one of those two is huge in freeing up space at the shelter. If that's not an option for families, they'll gladly take help with donation of time as a volunteer or donation of just gently used items or any type of monetary donation. Education is an option if none of those are for you.

“We need to make sure that we're spaying and neutering our pets. We need to be registering them every year, as required by law. Microchip them for an added layer of protection so they can get back home safely,” Bohardt said.

Due to the emergency, the center is restricting impoundments to those ordered by a judge or magistrate. This doesn't affect lost and found services, scanning pets for microchips and offering supplies to assist finders and owners.

Bohardt was asked, if the center was built for 80, what are they doing to accommodate the other 20 dogs.

Bohardt says the center is utilizing other sides of the kennel run, which is actually designated for one dog, so they can be shifted during cleaning and so that they also have room to use the restroom, separate from where they sleep and eat. Bohardt adds unfortunately, they're having to take that away from some dogs so that a dog can be on the other side of their kennel.

“Other shelters in our community battle the exact same thing. So it's so critical that everyone at the pet ownership level knows that is an issue and that they can do things to help make this better.”

Some encouraging news 17 dogs were adopted this week already.