Animal shelters plead for help as facilities reach capacity

Photo courtesy ASPCA

DOWNEY – Downey-based SEAACA is joining animal welfare organizations across the nation to ask for help as animal shelters and rescues deal with a backlog of adoptable animals. 

More animals are entering shelters than leaving, creating a “crisis of existential proportions,” SEAACA officials said in a news release. 

The newly-launched Share the Care campaign illustrates how the community can help by adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating or sharing adoptable animals on social media. 

SEAACA highlighted the case of Charlie, a two-year-old border collie mix who was received by SEAACA as a stray on July 6. Charlie loves playing with toys and going on walks but has spent more than two months in the shelter without being adopted. 

Charlie isn’t alone. Animal shelters across the country are packed with dogs and cats who have nowhere to go. It’s a drastically different situation than in 2020, when shelters and rescues saw overwhelming demand for adoptable pets. 

For the past 18 months, the number of pets leaving shelters has steadily dropped, bringing shelters to or near full capacity. 

“Without significant and immediate support from the public, data analysis of the past few years predicts adoptions will continue to decrease,” said Stephanie Filer, executive director of Shelter Animals Count. 

SEAACA has dropped the adoption fee for small and medium dogs to $25 through Sept. 30. Dogs over 35 lbs. are $45.

Cats ages 5 years and older are $20, and young cats are $40. Rabbits can be adopted for $5. 

Fees include the first set of vaccinations, spay/neuter, flea treatment, and microchip ID.