The Humane Society of Weld County is bringing in more animals than it can adopt out. Here’s how you can help.
Inigo leans in to check out the camera while out with Bria Pritchard, Shelter Manager, at the Humane Society of Weld County, 1620 42nd St, in Evans. Inigo is among the dogs up for adoption. Photo by Joshua Polson.
By Kelly Ragan
Just last week, employee offices at the Humane Society of Weld County doubled up as kennels for dogs.
Sarah Morrill, spokesperson for the humane society, said that the shelter’s occupancy rate this year has far outpaced what they’ve seen in the past.
“This weekend on Friday and Saturday combined, we adopted out 34 animals and took in 33 more,” Morrill said. “At times it feels like a losing battle.”
Breaking it down even further, Morrill said compared to last year, the shelter is looking at a 45% intake increase this June compared to last June.
But the humane society doesn’t euthanize animals for space, she said, so they’re doing everything they can to adopt them out or find foster homes.
Right now, that means running adoption specials. The humane society just launched a new special called “85 or Bust” with the goal of adopting out 85 animals as fast as possible.
What’s behind the influx?
Nationally, owner surrenders were up 82.6% compared to 2020, according to a report by USA Today. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s related to COVID-19 and the rush on adoptions during the pandemic. While owner surrenders are up from 2020, they are down by 12.5% nationally from 2019.
“We aren’t entirely sure it’s due to people returning COVID-19 adoptions,” she said.
The shelter has seen an increase in people bringing in strays, she said, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that isn’t an owner surrender. An owner could easily say they found a stray and bring the animal in and avoid filling out the surrender form and the fee.
Morrill said the shelter has also seen a lot more people mentioning anxiety in their animals.
“Many people want to give their animals a better home with someone who has more time for them,” Morrill said. “We’re working on putting together some resources to help them cope with that.”
How to help
If you’ve been thinking about getting a dog or a cat, consider adoption before seeking out breeders. That’s one way to help.
Beyond permanently bringing a new furry friend home, the Humane Society of Weld County is looking to expand its foster network.
“Sometimes we need short-term fosters for space, for behavioral issues, or medical issues.,” Morrill said. “We would love to grow our network.”
Morrill said donations – whether money or in-kind (think unopened pet food) – are always helpful as well.
Dana walks along the fence in the meeting area at the Humane Society of Weld County, 1620 42nd St, in Evans. Dana has been at the shelter for months. Photo by Joshua Polson.
“On average we spend about $400 per animal solely on medical care,” she said.
Morrill said that if folks want to help, but aren’t in a place to adopt, foster or donate, they can always share posts on social media to help raise awareness of the problem.
For more
For more information on what animals are available and how to help, go to the Humane Society of Weld County website, https://www.weldcountyhumane.org/.