More Phoenix-area pets being left at shelter

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — It’s becoming a growing trend in the Valley. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control says it’s seeing an alarming number of owner surrenders.

“We get told often that people will dump the animal if we can’t take it in immediately, and it’s not that we don’t want to help. It’s just that we don’t have the physical space,” said MCACC shelter diversion navigator Emma Metz.

Metz says the shelter is 250 dogs over capacity. Usually, they can only accommodate 640 dogs, but now they have 875 dogs. “In order to make sure we can house that many dogs, we’re having to split kennels in half, and that is not a good space for a dog to live in,” Metz said. As shelter space becomes overwhelmingly crowded, the shelter only accepts two owner surrenders per day and charges a $75 fee. As a result, more people are dumping their pets.

Phoenix resident Carolyn McDonald has first-hand experience with this. In August, McDonald’s neighbors moved out of their home but left their two dogs behind. “It was terrible. I couldn’t sleep at night knowing they were out there,” McDonald said. For several days, she fed the dogs and provided them water, but shelters couldn’t take them. That’s when she posted on the app NextDoor and found Lana Marcussen. “They were in very bad shape. I wasn’t afraid if the original owners came back at me,” Marcussen said. Marcussen took the dogs under her wing and found them loving homes.

As the vicious cycle continues, shelters are urging owners to keep their pets and for people to foster. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control offers a diversion program to help keep families together and provide food and supplies to those in need. If you want to help donate or want to learn more about these resources, click/tap here.

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