Broward County Animal Care is sounding the alarm as its shelter exceeds capacity by nearly 50%, with hundreds of dogs and cats urgently needing homes.
Shelter officials are calling on the public to adopt, foster or volunteer to help relieve the strain.
“Our capacity for dogs is 105, our capacity for cats is 120,” said Zachary Rinkins, the shelter’s public information officer. “Right now we are housing 150 dogs and we are housing over 190 cats, and so we are at critical mass.”
New foster program offers students community service hours
In response to the crisis, the shelter has launched a summer pilot program offering community service hours to South Florida high school students who foster pets. Officials hope the initiative will help get more animals out of the shelter and into homes, even temporarily.
“We need our community to not only just adopt or foster but to help us market the love and hope that’s in this shelter,” Rinkins said.
Emotional toll on animals, adopters
The overcrowded shelter is taking a toll on animals and staff alike. “Because we have a limited staff and volunteers, it gives less time, one-on-one time with the animals, which also impacts their quality of life,” Rinkins said.
For some, like Humby Rodriguez, the process of adopting again comes with emotion. “It’s just been hard, I’ve come here probably four or five times,” said Rodriguez, who lost his dog Thunder last year and is now searching for a new companion. “You want to take them all home but unfortunately you can’t.”
All adoptions from Broward County Animal Care are free and include full vaccinations and a microchip. For more information on adopting, fostering, or volunteering, visit the Broward County Animal Care website.
