Animal shelters in the city of Los Angeles are running out of kennel space and officials are asking for the public’s help adopting or fostering a pet.
“Because more pets are coming into our shelters than getting adopted or fostered each day, our six Centers are running out of available kennels for our canine companions,” L.A. Animal Services officials said in a news release.
It’s a problem across the country, as shelters are experiencing an increase in the intake of medium to large sized dogs, officials added.
The department even created a meter to illustrate shelter capacity level:
“Due to the continued increase of animals, primarily dogs, into our six shelters during the past several months, we are currently at the Orange/Extreme Level,” officials explained. “We are pleading to animal-loving Angelenos to help us find homes for the pets in our shelters by fostering or adopting.”
In an effort to encourage pet adoptions, Animal Services will be offering reduced adoption fees for dogs and puppies on June 18 and June 19. Cat and kitten adoption fees are waived thanks to a grant from the ASPCA.
The agency had previously reduced adoption fees in May saying shelters were at capacity.
Find out how to adopt a pet from an L.A. shelter here.
“We have taken measures each month to increase pet adoptions, foster homes, transfers of pets to rescue partners, and pets being returned home,” said Annette Ramirez, interim general manager for Animal Services. “Despite these efforts, the intake numbers continue to outpace community placements.”
The department expects to continue seeing an uptick of pet intakes ahead of July 4 and Angelenos can also help by participating in the “shelter-at-home” program, providing temporary shelter for lost pets in your neighborhood while posting flyers or sharing the pet’s info on social media via Animal Services’ lost and found Facebook page and Nextdoor.
The department also offers the “home-to-home” program, where officials help residents find a new home for a pet without having it enter a shelter.
Residents can also donate to Animal Services, or share posts of adoptable pets on social media.
For more information about how to help Animal Services, visit the department’s website.