Dallas Animal Shelter dealing with extreme overcrowding, offers free adoptions this weekend
DALLAS - The Dallas Animal Shelter says there’s an urgent need for people to adopt or foster pets.
There are 438 dogs sharing just 300 at the shelter.
The overcrowding is even worse for cats with 149 of them sharing 94 kennels.
The shelter said it could have to euthanize some animals soon.
Dallas Animal Services says part of their overcrowding is due to the recent storms and also more kittens being born.
This weekend, all adoptions are free with no extra charges to help lessen the load on the shelter.
This time of year is a traditionally crowded time, but Mary Martin with DAS says they are struggling to keep up, especially with the influx of runaway dogs from the storm.
"We can get them home very quickly if we had identification," she said. "But a lot of the animals that come to us don't have any identification."
This is also a time when more kittens are born in the shelter. Martin says some days 30-50 kittens are born.
The shelter says it may have to euthanize some of the animals.
"When we're thinking about having to double up animals in an average in every kennel and that we have no space for incoming animals, it absolutely is a tool that we have to use," Martin said.
Saturday, the shelter is having a free adoption day to help with the numbers and also free spaying and neutering services.
"There are no fees at all," Martin said. "And we will get you started off with things that will help you with food, etcetera to get started."
Dallas Animals Services: Foster families needed for kittens and adult cats
DAS says for the first time in a long time, their cat capacity percentage (155%) is higher than the dog capacity percentage (136%).
Martin says there has also been a downward trend involving adoptions nationwide, specifically with larger dogs.
"The reasons behind it are still being studied, and I think it's a bit unclear," she said. "But our anecdotal information is that housing has a lot to do with the housing restrictions, HOA restrictions, those kinds of things."
To see a list of adoptable pets, visit bedallas90.org.