- The City of Tallahassee Animal Services shelter is pushing for adoptions as it nears capacity after taking in 130 pets in the last week.
- The shelter will host pet adoption events starting Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Watch the video to find out how the shelter is trying to fix the issue and how neighbors can help.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The City of Tallahassee Animal Services is nearing capacity after taking in more than 130 pets over the past week.
They just haven't kept up with only 35 adoptions.
ABC 27’s Brieanna Smith talked to Assistant Director Grayson Walters to find out why.
“We as well as shelters and rescues all over the country do typically see an influx of animals during the spring and summer months. It's puppy, kitten season,” she said.
The shelter is a mix of strays, surrenders and new litters.
Factors like animals staying longer, staffing shortages and even not enough adoptions to keep up with intake are keeping shelters full nationally, according to the ASPCA.
"If there's more animals, right, there is always going to be a finite amount of kennel space and staffing and all of those things,” Walters said.
But Walters believes they can work to fix the issue.
“So, we're doing our pup grades, right?,” she said.
The city is renovating its dog adoption space and increasing its veterinarian recovery space.
The shelter is even pushing for adoption, hosting weekly adoption events and waiving those fees for neighbors like Sarah Hernandez.
She tells Smith she's adopted two dogs from the shelter and is looking for a third.
"We've had two different dogs and so might as well spend $30 on a dog that's already been spayed or neutered and has all of its shots than going to find a purebred dog somewhere else and give a dog a home that doesn't have one,” Hernandez said.
Walters tells Smith that the community can still help out without adopting by spaying and neutering pets, donating supplies, fostering and even spreading the word.
“It really does take a village to work towards helping the animals that need homes,” Walters said.
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