Summer is always one of the busiest times of year for San Diego Humane Society. But this July, the organization hit two new milestones.
A record 323 stray animals came in through the July Fourth holiday, and on July 7 the organization had a total of 2,584 animals in care — more than ever before in its 143-year history.
The July Fourth holiday always sees a significant uptick in the number of stray pets spooked by fireworks, and it’s expected that the days following the festivities stretch shelter capacities. But this year, San Diego Humane Society had already been over capacity for months leading up to the holiday.
“We’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Gary Weitzman, President and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. “To put it bluntly, now is the time we need our community’s help.”
In response to the unprecedented number of animals in need, the organization launched its Summer To Save Lives campaign. This goal of this effort is to inspire members of the community to adopt, foster and volunteer through the busy summer months.
• Adopt: Adoption changes the life of a homeless pet waiting for a loving home. To make adoption even more accessible, all San Diego Humane Society campuses are offering a 50% discount on adoption fees for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens through Aug. 31.
• Foster: By temporarily opening their home to pets in need, foster families provide immediate relief for both animals and strained shelter resources. Fostering preserves critically needed shelter space for animals with nowhere else to turn. Whether you foster for a few days or a few weeks, San Diego Humane Society will supply all necessary provisions — all you need to provide is love and a safe space.
• Volunteer: By committing to just a few hours of support each week, volunteers can make a world of difference in the lives of shelter animals. Through the summer months, help is especially needed for morning shifts from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., but various opportunities are available.
With support from the community, San Diego Humane Society can turn its most challenging season yet into a Summer To Save Lives.
Learn more and get involved today at sdhumane.org/savelives.
