Lots of people are hurting due to the Biden Recession, but it’s not just people. Dogs (and cats) are suffering too in what’s being called “The Great Shelter Crisis.”
Summer is always a tough time for animal shelters and rescues, but this year is the worst it’s been in a decade. Pets are being surrendered much faster than they can be adopted. From Arizona’s desert to New York City, shelters are reaching maximum capacity — forcing them to stop intakes or euthanize animals for space. The Dodo spoke to rescuers across the country about the shelter crisis and what people can do to help.
“When I first started 9 years ago, we always had open spaces in our shelter. Now we fill spaces within about 90 seconds,” Natalie Thomson, chief communications officer of Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), told The Dodo. “Saying ‘no’ to an animal in need is one of the hardest things in the world, but when there is physically no place to put them, you have to.”
Shelters on the East Coast, like Animal Care Center of NYC (NYC ACC), are also overwhelmed with the number of pets being surrendered or returned. NYC ACC volunteer Manisha Shah explained how shelter overcrowding and intake freezes can lead to more devastation.
“What happens when shelters tell people, ‘We can’t take your dog?’ This is where strays come in,” Shah told The Dodo. “People are leaving their dogs in places, like tying them outside the police station, leaving them in a crate in a park, etc.”
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Animal shelters like Wisconsin’s Dodge County Humane Society (DCHS) usually jump to take in any animal in need. However, due to the capacity crisis this year, they’ve also had to pause new admissions altogether.
“It is our mission to help animals. But what happens when we simply don’t have any more room?” DCHS wrote on Facebook. “With kennels full, there is simply no room to help those in need. At this time, DCHS is unable to help in an emergency. This leaves us unable to fulfill our mission and potentially leaves hundreds of animals without any [resources].”
Another shelter in Aiken, South Carolina, has made unusual rooming arrangements to accommodate its overflowing list of residents.
“The Aiken County Animal Shelter is at full capacity, and we are doubling up dogs in our kennels.”
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Unfortunately, shelters across the country are faced with euthanizing pets to make space for more.
A study by Shelter Animals Count found that of the 6.5 million animals who entered the shelter and rescue system in 2023, 4.8 million were adopted. Sadly, 850,000 pets lost their lives before finding homes.
“In recent years, there has been a notable rise in non-live outcomes for dogs,” Shelter Animals Count wrote on their website. “Cats are also witnessing an uptick in non-live outcomes, albeit at a slower rate.”
There’s no end to animal shelter crisis videos on YouTube.
The reason for the crisis is no mystery. The Biden Recession has people struggling to feed and shelter their own children, much less their dogs. (And finding a place to live is made much harder by the Biden Administration letting some 10 million illegal aliens cross the border.)
You can find adoptable dogs and cats in your area at Petfinder.com.
You can also go look for adoptable dogs at the Williamson County Shelter, the Austin Animal Center, and Austin Pets Alive.
Rescue groups here in central Texas I’ve had success adopting dogs from include Gold Ribbon Rescue, Heart of Texas Lab Rescue, and Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue.
While I think about adopting another dog every now and then, two large leashed dogs is probably the physical limit I can comfortably handle while walking, and my current bout of unemployment hasn’t exactly left me flush with cash. But those in a position to adopt should definitely look into adding a faithful companion to their life.
Tags: Biden Recession, cats, Democrats, dogs, economy
Not to mention the millions of people who had no business becoming pet owners adopting dogs during COVID because they were stuck at home with nothing to do.
@tim maguire
90% of them were women seeking comfort, only to discard the animal now that it’s inconvenient to them.
It’s a parable for interacting with women generally. YMMV.
Took in a dog two years ago to the week. He’s such a sweet blessing. Last month took in a kitten that some friends found in their forest. Just a lovely little terror. They live on a frontage road off the interstate. People drive up from the city and dump and run. Been happening since Covid back to work. There is real poverty here and my heart aches for those who are confronted with not being able to care for their pet. Also a lot of old people passing on and no family to take their pets in.
This all predates “Joe Biden”. It’s much bigger than some illusion of two party choice. The people are sick. Spiritually sick. The nation is gone because a nation is a people and we have not a people but an “Econony” to which we are enslaved to serve. Materialism will be our end. And in the end the animals will find their level but we will be judged.
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Another excellent rescue in the Austin area is Wimberley Adoption Group (WAG). They have regular adoption events in northern Hays County as well as a helpful website. We adopted our beautiful girl, Luna, from there three years ago this coming Monday.
She was also an owner surrender. The family had owned her since she was a puppy but when they started traveling a lot, she didn’t handle kenneling well so they gave her up. She is the most wonderful dog imaginable so I find it very hard to understand–but it is definitely to our benefit. And Luna’s!!
We just adopted another dog, in large part because of this
👍