In 2023, more than 6.5 million animals entered shelters, with only around 4 million being adopted, and almost 400,000 dogs being euthanized.
Throughout the years there has been a surge of animals in shelters, and they range from dogs and cats to hamsters and even turtles! The term “adopt, don’t shop” has been used to bring attention to this amount of homeless animals that don’t get adopted due to the preference for puppies.
The need for adoption is crucial in order to prevent the continued prevalence of puppy mills. Puppy mills are disgusting facilities that are used for revenue, with no care for the quality of dogs being produced. Many of these puppies in puppy mills do not receive adequate medical care, food, or water.
In my experience, some shelters can also have problems. I have personally fostered dogs from shelters with cut nails to the point that they’re bleeding, or ones where the animals are afraid of people.
Additionally, typical shelters contain a large room split up by walls to divide the animals. For dogs, many shelters have more room but are still in a cramped space where they are forced to be near their own waste. If you’ve ever been in an animal shelter, you may have also heard incessant barking, which can be a huge stressor for dogs.
One way to combat these issues is double-sided canine housing, but this is nearly impossible with the amount of animals flowing into shelters, as well as the lack of funding.
Although some animal shelters may not have the best conditions, adopting from a shelter is one of the best things you can do to help animals. The pros to adopting an animal are endless: adoption fees are very low compared to buying one, the animals already get their vaccinations, and the animals are most likely spayed/neutered (which can cost an average of $300-1,500).
If you cannot adopt, another great option is fostering! Fostering can be extremely satisfying, as you bring an animal from the shelter to your home and help rehabilitate them to be ready for adoption. It’s a great way to take the animal out of a stressful situation.
Many fostering organizations help pay fees in order to make it a smoother process, such as paying for vet bills or supplies for the animal.
Some fostering organizations are also breed specific, so if you prefer a certain breed of animal, you can find hundreds of them. One example of this is the Dachshund Rescue of Los Angeles, which mainly focuses on dachshunds. Another example is the Southern California Siamese Rescue, which focuses on rehoming Siamese cats.
If you already have a pet and cannot foster or adopt another, there are still things you can do to support animals. In order to prevent the incoming flow of animals into shelters, it is important to be responsible, and have your pets spayed and neutered if they can be!
If you are ready to welcome a pet into your life, whether it is adopting or fostering, a local animal shelter is the Castaic Animal Care Center, which is constantly overflowed. To see other nearby shelters go to Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, and you can help save a life!
