SACRAMENTO — With more wet weather expected, cleanup continues across the Sacramento region after high winds toppled trees and power lines earlier this week.
In response to the damage, some local animal shelters say they are inundated with lost pets.
Front Street Animal Shelter is completely out of space to house dogs, and in order to free up space, they are waiving all dog adoptions until February 18th.
“Our shelters were already full before the storm hit,” said Ryan Hinderman, the shelter's communications manager. “If the fence breaks down, the dog goes outside.”
Hinderman said their kennels are overflowing and over capacity.
“After the storm, we had a much larger influx of animals than normal, which really pushed kennel space to the brink,” he said.
Shelters are at capacity and are struggling, having to kennel most of the dogs together.
This is not ideal as it creates a stressful environment for the animal and disease can spread quickly.
“In 2023, we took in about 1,600 more animals than in 2022. The intake trend is definitely increasing,” Hinderman said.
As more animals arrive, the number of animals being adopted is decreasing, he said. This is a national trend, and it's hitting Sacramento shelters hard.
That's why, in a desperate move to free up space, the shelter has announced free dog adoptions, and if anyone is looking to add a forever friend to their family, now is the time. I'm saying.
For people who already have pets, Hinderman says this will be a good reminder.
“Many people think their pets will never go missing, but statistics show that one in three pets will go missing in their lifetime,” Hinderman said. he said.
Before more severe weather hits, Hinderman says pet owners should make sure their furry friends are microchipped, have up-to-date tags, and generally try to keep them indoors. said it should.
The shelter said if adoption is not an option, the community can help them in other ways. This includes volunteering, making a donation, or temporarily fostering an animal.
They also say finding lost pets and keeping them for 48 hours to find their owners will greatly help shelters focus on other lost pets already in their care.
Visit our website to learn what to do if you lose or find your pet.
