Placer County dog kennels are ‘overflowing.’ Incentives are offered to ease crowding

With Placer County’s animal shelter in Auburn nearing capacity, animal services is asking the community to adopt dogs and help reunify lost pets with their owners.

More than 90% of dog kennels are full, officials said in a statement Thursday, “with more dogs arriving each day.” Dogs are being doubled up in kennels or housed in overflow areas like exercise yards to accommodate the increase.

“We’re facing a number of simultaneous challenges that are making it difficult to get dogs out the door and into homes,” program manager Katie Ingram said in a statement.

Many adoptable pets are waiting longer to be adopted, which is further straining resources.

Shelter stays for dogs this year are about 25% longer compared to last year, officials said. Longer stays can be more stressful for animals and can cause potential behavioral or medical issues.

The majority of the dogs available for adoption already have been at the shelter for 30 days or longer, officials said.

To incentivize adoptions, Placer County Animal Services is offering discounted $10 adoptions for dogs and cats through May 14.

The department will also waive “redemption fees” for owners retrieving pets that have been impounded for the first time and will offer free spay/neutering, microchipping and vaccinations for all redeemed pets. The shelter may even transport pets back home if needed, officials said.

Many lost dogs are not being recovered at the Animal Services Center, officials said, which is contributing to overcrowding. Half of the 14 lost dogs that arrived at the shelter in the past week have not been reunited. Lost pets can be viewed on the county website.

If a member of the public finds a dog, the shelter recommends doing the following to help reunite the pet with its owner prior to bringing it into the shelter:

• Hold onto the dog for at least 48 hours if you can. Lost pets that are held are more likely to be reunited with owners compared to pets taken directly to a shelter.
• Knock on doors in the neighborhood where the pet was found, or talk to residents.
• Post found pet flyers in the neighborhood and report the found pet online using 24petconnect.com, Pawboost.com, Nextdoor.com, local Facebook groups and Lost.PetcoLove.org.
• Alert Placer County Animal Services at 530-886-5500 if you are unable to locate an owner and need assistance from the shelter.

“Saturday is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, and if you’ve been thinking about perhaps adopting, now is the perfect time,” Ingram said in a statement. “Adopting a dog not only gives that animal a loving forever home, but helps us decrease crowding at the shelter, which makes for a better experience for the remaining animals as well.”

Members of the public who aren’t able to adopt a pet but are willing to foster a dog can also email ansinfo@placer.ca.gov.

This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 5:37 PM.