PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Staff at the city’s open intake animal shelter says they are being forced to euthanize dogs for lack of space. The dog kennels at the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia are full, and the shelter’s director says now could be the time to save a life with an Easter-themed adoption.
In February 2024, the North Philadelphia shelter says, they had 20% more dogs than in February of 2023. Right now, 125 dogs are in desperate need of homes, and there are about 100 more animals off site in foster homes.
“Our issue is with the number of dogs that we have coming in each day we really are at high risk of having disease outbreaks. We tried sticking dogs in every office and corridor that we can and making that work — and we tried basically warehousing, and it didn’t work,” said Sarah Barnett, executive director at ACCT Philly. “The animals and the staff — and frankly the community — paid the price.”
Unfortunately, to make room for new dogs coming in, Barnett says, dogs are being euthanized. So the shelter is getting creative and hosting an adoption event called Find Your Golden Egg, for Easter.
Through Wednesday, April 3, ACCT Philly is waiving all adoption fees for dogs weighing more than 40 pounds, Barnett says.
“So that animal comes to you spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped with a free bag of food, discounted training, discounted pet insurance — and you literally pay nothing.”
Every dog adoption will now save two lives: The life of the new pet and the life of the dog that now has a space at the shelter.
“The number of people who say, ‘Can you hold onto that dog just one more day?’ — if they were actually here, in our shoes, and see the number of dogs coming in, I would ask them ‘Where would you put that dog? Where would you put the other 20 that are coming in today?’” Barnett said.
“They are not realizing the chain of reaction that you have there.”
Barnett says, to anyone who doesn’t feel ready to commit to adoption: Consider fostering a dog.
ACCT Philly, 111 West Hunting Park Ave., is open every day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.