Animal shelter plea to public: Don't bring your dog here / care for strays because shelter is full

[Liberal_in_LA]

S.F. animal shelter full as economy goes to dogs

SAN FRANCISCO -- For San Francisco's animal shelter, the dog days of summer are far from over.

With hard-pressed pet owners surrendering their animals in booming numbers, the city's Animal Care and Control agency has issued an unprecedented order: Don't bring your dog here. The shelter is full.

"It's something we haven't really run across before," Kat Brown, the agency's deputy director, said Thursday. "People have to make these hard decisions about giving up a dog because they're either out of work, have to move, or can no longer afford to keep their dog."

Dog drop-offs are way up at the shelter at 15th and Harrison streets. In the most recent fiscal year, 2,800 dogs passed through the shelter, an increase of 300 over the year before.

San Franciscans who want to surrender their dogs will have to wait until the shelter clears out some of the 95 canines already there. San Francisco Animal Care and Control even issued a plea this week for people who find stray dogs to care for the animals themselves until shelter space opens up. :wow:

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/01/BADU1KV2MI.DTL#ixzz1WogRBmR4

[joeybee12]

1. It's like that everywhere...those on the lowest rung suffer the most when the oligarchs screw

the rest of us.

[Denninmi]

2. Well, not dogs, but I'm going to get rid of a lot of my birds because of the cost of feed.

A bag that cost $9 last year at this time is now $14, and it has gone up around a $1 a bag each of the past few months. I honestly can't afford to feed so many at that price, so I'm going to pare way down and only keep a few select breeders over the winter.

[Mojorabbit]

4. I buy my bird food in bulk

and vacumn seal it from http://www.mybirdstore.com/
I don't know if it is cheaper for you but if so it might help you keep more of them.

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. There's going to be a lot of dogs abandoned in the streets then.

[Auggie]

5. So sad. We're looking after a stray cat right now.

Many shelters are having similar problems - - while I've never been a cat person the thought of "sentencing" this stray to near certain death is intolerable. Besides, she's a great cat -- very affectionate and fun to have around. The cost of food / care isn't going to break us.

[EFerrari]

6. Seems like I can't go anywhere right now without seeing a stray animal. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. :-(

:-(

[hamsterjill]

14. All over the streets in San Antonio

We have a horrible problem, and a bunch of politicians that don't understand how to deal with it! They love to kill things!

[hamsterjill]

15. May good karma come your way.

Thank you for being proactive for this kitty!

[Auggie]

16. Thanks hamsterjill

Mrs Auggie has HUGE pet allergies. We're doing our best.

[blkmusclmachine]

7. More innocents suffer at the cruel, careless hands of the DC "Masters of the Universe"

n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. Maybe instead of designer dogs, the rich should get their sorry a$$e$

down to their local shelter and foster/adopt these dogs, since their greed is the sole reason for the increased #s.


:shrug:

[pecwae]

12. That goes for the wannabes, too.

Too many people who aren't rich, but try so hard to emulate them want only pedigreed or designer animals. Then there're those who just refuse to have their animals neutered. I hurt for these innocents and would take every single one of them if I could. I can't stand the fact that they're suffering from the stupidity, greed and hubris of humans.

[Papagoose]

9. I'm caring for a stray Great Dane that was abandoned on my street

I don't have room for him and can't afford to care for him, but can't get anyone to take him. The local rescues don't have room and the county animal shelter says he will be euthanized before I get to my car if I drop him off.

[tblue37]

10. Great Danes are such sweet animals. They usually do not have very long lives,

so depending on how old he is now, he probably won't be with you all that long. Most of the ones I have known died at ages 6-8.

[mithnanthy]

13. I live in Ft. Myers Fl...

We have found homes for over 24 abandoned cats this past year with the help of a kind Veterinarian and his wife.It is a dire situation, with all the foreclosures.These were mostly loved and pampered pets until they were abandoned in neighborhoods, by owners who think we will just take them in. We lost our 4 older cats last year (18-20 years old) and have rescued and found homes for 24 cats and kept 3. My girlfriend has taken in 20 abandoned cats into her home.

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. that must have been hard - losing 4 cats in one year. Bless u for helping 24 abandoned cats

[Blasphemer]

17. Very sad and there is no end in sight

My cat was born feral but I hope to adopt at least another one (unfortunately, I can't have dogs at the moment) and this time I'll be looking for abandoned strays.