Our shelters are in a state of emergency. That’s the message 11 leading local animal shelters and rescue organizations are sharing with our community.
In an unprecedented joint effort, these organizations — including San Diego Humane Society, City of Chula Vista Animal Services, East County Animal Rescue, Feral Cat Coalition, Friends of Cats, Frosted Faces Foundation, PAWS of Coronado, Rancho Coastal Humane Society, San Diego County Department of Animal Services, San Diego House Rabbit Society and Spay Neuter Action Project — held a press conference to highlight the fact that they have been over capacity with animals for well over a year.
The numbers of dogs in shelters and rescues have skyrocketed in recent years. Local shelters and rescue groups caring for rabbits and small pets are at maximum capacity and cannot take in more animals.
And now, organizations are facing the impact of the annual kitten season when shelters are flooded with thousands of kittens born to the hundreds of thousands of community cats living in San Diego County. Additionally, the July Fourth holiday leads to a sharp increase in stray dogs each summer.
“Summer is the busiest time for animal shelters, so we need the community to help us help them, before it gets worse,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO, San Diego Humane Society.
“There are hundreds of deserving animals, from puppies and kittens to special breed dogs and cats and small pets, who are waiting for a second chance at our shelters and rescues.”
We are facing a preventable crisis this summer if our community doesn’t act now.
Here’s how to help:
• Adopt: Adopting saves lives, and thousands of pets are available at shelters and local rescues right now. From puppies and kittens to senior companions, rabbits and guinea pigs, shelters are overflowing with deserving animals in need of adoption.
• Foster: This is a critical – and temporary – way to help save lives. By opening your home to foster a pet, you give them relief from the stress of the shelter and create urgently needed space for other animals in need.
• Spay and neuter: Increasing the number of spayed/neutered animals is the only way to stop the crisis of pet overpopulation at its root. Reduced access to spay/neuter services during the pandemic exacerbated the challenges facing our shelters.
People can prevent unintended litters by having their pets spayed or neutered, and supporting local programs that provide spay/neuter resources for owned animals and community cats.
San Diego achieved zero euthanasia of healthy or treatable shelter animals in 2015 and has maintained that commitment ever since. With the community’s help, our region can continue to be a compassionate haven for animals.
Act now to adopt, foster and spay or neuter. Learn more at sdhumane.org/helpus.
