A big jump in pet surrenders could lead to local shelters having to start euthanizing animals. A 36% increase in pet surrenders from last year has created a dog and car overcrowding crisis.
The pandemic has placed a lot of hardship on renters, especially renters with pets.
Alicia Vial with the LA SPCA says that has resulted in a surge of people surrendering their pets to animal shelters.
“People are really finding themselves in a situation where they either have to pick staying in their home or giving up their pet,” said Vial. “That of course coupled with financial challenges as a result of the pandemic, we are seeing a very big surge in owner surrenders.”
Vial says the shelters are seeing more people who have owned a pet for years surrender their pet compared to new pet owners.
She also says the shelter has resources to help pet owners keep their pets.
“We are staged with resources, information, our food pantry, low cost vet services, all of these things to make sure we can keep pets in home and not add to the already huge homeless population we have in our community.”
The surge in pet surrenders is causing shelters to overcrowd.
Kathryn Destreza, Director of Operations at the Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Campus the Louisiana SPCA says shelters are nearly 100% past capacity with 650 animals in its care and is urging the community to adopt during the national Clear the Shelter adoption event or foster.
“Our facilities are designed to care for up to 400 animals at one time and right now, we have 650,” says Kathryn Destreza, Director of Operations at the Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Campus. “We are out of space. There are kennels in the hallways. Our foster network is maxed out. We need the community to step-up and adopt or foster.”
Due to COVID, the SPCA is requiring appointments to come adopt or foster and animal. The SPCA shelters in New Orleans and Belle Chasse are "nearly no kill" shelters, but the current crisis has them nearing the threshold for having to start euthanizing animals.
From Aug. 25 to Sept. 19, adoption fees will be reduced to just $25 for large dogs and cats older than six months at both Louisiana SPCA campuses.
