In Minneapolis, Animal Care and Control is launching some creative holiday programs as they reach maximum capacity, a situation taking place all across the U.S.
They're turning to short term foster initiatives like Home for the Holidays and Fido Field Trips to manage a wintertime surge in animal arrivals.
Volunteer coordinator Madison Weissenborn says that while winter was once a slow period, the facility is now seeing a consistent need for community support, particularly for large dogs.
"We can always, always find fosters for kittens, and we can find fosters for the cute and fluffy," ways Weissenborn. "But it's kind of those big blockheads or the big guys that that tend to, you know, really need the help."
The shelter is waiving adoption fees for city residents but advising against gifting pets, suggesting instead that families visit the shelter together to find a compatible match.
"So, although it is like a super cute moment of it jumping out of a box, you just want to make sure that, you know, whoever is on the receiving end of that gift is equally understanding of what it takes to own a pet," Weissenborn adds.
She says people can help by fostering pets before adopting to ensure that every pet - especially the shelter’s many large dogs - find a truly compatible lifelong home.