Overcrowding Returns

by Katie McHenry & Kathleen MacKinnon

Across the country, shelters and rescue groups are overcrowded once again, including in the greater capital region spanning D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (the DMV). This means more dogs and cats are crammed into tight spaces in stressful conditions in shelters, kennels, and foster homes as workers and volunteers do their best to spare the animals’ lives.

According to ASPCA, while euthanasia rates have decreased from 2.5 million dogs and cats in shelters in 2011 to approximately 920,000 annually today, these numbers are still too high and completely preventable.

In the United States, pets are legally considered property rather than sentient beings in their own rights who all deserve a lifelong home. While many Americans cherish their companion animals and treat them as family members, too many people still lack compassion. Millions of dogs and cats are abandoned, neglected, or surrendered to shelters for reasons that are manageable. Especially in the DMV, there are vast resources available to help pet parents – if they are open to looking for other solutions.

What’s Happening

Earlier this year, Virginia’s Stafford County issued an urgent plea for more residents to adopt, hoping the animal shelter wouldn’t have to resort to euthanasia. 

In September, Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility in Maryland sounded the alarm, issuing a list of dogs and cats that must be adopted or relocated to area rescue organizations or they would be euthanized due to space constraints. This is not the first time an alarm has been issued this year in this county.

Across the country, the Los Angeles City Council approved a temporary moratorium on new dog breeding permits in an attempt to ease overcrowding at the city’s animal shelters because dog occupancy at the city’s six shelters reached 209 percent, resulting in doubling and tripling of dogs in single kennels or in temporary hallway crates for months at a time. 

In early October, the Texas Tribune highlighted the state’s overcrowded shelters, which continue to urge citizens to help by fostering or adopting animals.

In a way, this is nothing new: a recent report from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, as reported by DVM 360, indicates animal shelters across the United States have endured an overcrowding crisis for four years in a row. They cite as reasons the cost of pet care, access to veterinary services, and housing restrictions.

Reasons for Overcrowding

What’s causing the national surge of companion animals in shelters and with rescue organizations, creating an even more stressful environment for the animals housed there and increasing the risk of transmitting illnesses like parvo? 

In addition to some irresponsible dog and cat guardians refusing to spay or neuter their animals, leading to overpopulation, people are surrendering their animals for a host of reasons (most of which have nothing to do with animal behavior) at the same time fewer people are adopting. In the vast majority of instances, surrendering is not necessary – as long as the guardian is willing to take the time to address the issue and seek help from their community.

Furthermore, there has been an onslaught of climate-driven natural disasters in the past few years, such as Hurricanes Helene and Milton that ravaged the Southeast in September and October. As reported by the Washington Post, many shelters and rescues destroyed in these storms have been forced to send their animals to new locations across the country, despite the fact that facilities on the receiving end are struggling to keep up with the influx. Hundreds of these dogs and cats were taken in by shelters and rescues in our area. In addition, for those dogs and cats that survived, many have become homeless along with their guardians. The fallout from these hurricanes, and other natural disasters, has exacerbated overcrowding nationwide as large populations of dogs and cats are frantically moved to safety, and more have become homeless.

According to Best Friends Animal Society, the top reasons guardians surrender their animals include having “too many animals,” housing issues (eviction, rental limitations, insurance restrictions), and financial issues. Additionally, in many instances, cats and dogs are surrendered when their guardian’s health declines – or the guardian passes away.

But according to the Hill’s report, almost half of respondents reported cost as the most significant challenge to adopting a pet. The cost of living has increased across the board since 2020, largely due to supply chain issues stemming from the COVID pandemic.

The truth is that many people don’t take making a life-long commitment to care for an animal seriously. Too many people adopt a puppy or kitten – or even an adult dog or cat – and then later decide it’s too difficult to care for the animal for 10 to 15 years (or longer). 

Help Is Available

While the costs of veterinary care, food, and supplies have skyrocketed with supply chain issues from the COVID pandemic, the truth is that in the DMV, there are vast resources available to help pet parents meet their pets’ needs.

Animal Shelter Services

Many of our well-resourced shelters, namely the Animal Welfare Leagues of Arlington and Alexandria, as well as the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, have greatly expanded their services to support pet parents. Among the services offered are:

• Vaccine and microchipping clinics that charge minimal fees
• Low-cost spaying/neutering vouchers for lower-income residents with local vets
• Food pantries
• Behavioral and training assistance
• Emergency vet services for lower-income residents (when funds are available)
• Emergency boarding for caretakers that are hospitalized or become homeless

Sadly, services like these are not equally available in rural areas of the DMV and across the country.

Family, Friends, Community

Don’t underestimate the help that may be available within your own family and with friends and others in your community. When you need help, reach out. If you have extended travel coming up and are concerned about caring for your dog or cat, ask a friend if they can do pet sitting in their home. If you are having behavioral issues with your dog or cat, seek help! There are vast resources available online and many shelters offer behavioral assistance. If you have the resources, consider hiring an animal behaviorist. If you have a sick or elderly parent who can’t take care of their dog or cat, consider taking them into your home, or rehome them on your own.

Rehoming Assistance

There is also a movement underway to support pet parents in rehoming their companion animals. While rehoming should never be the option for a mere inconvenience, there are instances in which rehoming is needed and in the best interest of the dog or cat, such as the declining health of elderly parents, death of the caretaker, serious allergies where attempts to manage the allergies have not worked, or where multiple pets truly can’t co-exist with each other in the same household.

Adopt-a-Pet has created a rehome program to assist with rehoming. Not only can guardians post their animals on this web portal, but Adopt-a-Pet provides guidance and assistance with the rehoming process.  

In the 2023 issue of Paws & Effect, SPCA NOVA wrote an article to support cat rehoming, but only when rehoming is absolutely necessary (see “Rehoming Cats”). The key is to make sure to carefully scrutinize applicants to ensure your companion animal goes to a home that can meet their lifelong needs.

Keep in mind that the entire country is facing an overpopulation crisis. We have more dogs and cats that need homes than there are homes to care for them, which means rehoming should be attempted only if it’s truly necessary.

Do Your Part

Rehome Only When It’s Absolutely Necessary

Don’t rehome or surrender your dog or cat unless you are facing a crisis that truly can’t be solved within your home.

Foster a Dog or Cat

Fostering a dog or cat will not only give them a much needed break from an overcrowded shelter or kennel, or literally take them off the streets, but will also help them get adopted. Fostering plays a vital role by bringing the dog or cat “out of their shell,” both to help continue socializing the animal and to learn about each animal’s unique personality, thereby helping them find a forever home.

Adopt, Don’t Shop

Separately, if you’re looking to adopt and have your heart set on a particular breed, you can search Petfinder to see which nearby shelter or rescue organization has the Persian cat or Labrador Retriever you’re looking for. Please consider saving a life from a local shelter rather than paying a breeder to bring yet another kitten or puppy into the world when so many are already in need.

Donate Time, Money

You can donate time and/or money to the shelters and rescue groups in your area, or you can even lobby your local government to invest more in low-cost spay and neuter services, especially in low-income communities, and to ban the retail sale of dogs and cats.

While donating to an animal shelter or fostering a dog or cat for a few months might seem like just one small act to address an overwhelming crisis, it makes a world of difference – not only to that shelter but also to that animal whose life you’re helping to save.