Jacob Vaughn
Audio By Carbonatix
The Dallas Animal Services shelter is completely out of medium and large dog kennels. The agency is urging people to adopt and foster pets to make space for the hundreds more animals they expect to take in this week.
“This is crisis. We have over 375 dogs in our building and have run out of space to hold the medium and large dogs coming in,” MeLissa Webber, director of DAS, said in a press release. “As an open admission shelter, we can’t stop taking in pets. Despite our best efforts and most creative solutions, we are now out of options. We need the immediate help of the community to avoid heartbreaking decisions tomorrow.”
DAS euthanizes adoptable pets if they run out of space. To prevent this, DAS is asking people to either adopt or foster large and medium dogs from its shelter.
There are a handful of factors that lead to a shortage of shelter space. Usually, they end up getting more pets than they’re able to send to new homes. The shelter takes in anywhere between 60-100 pets every day. A slow adoption and fostering process has contributed to a lack of space at the shelter before.
The agency recently created a new process for dog fosters that’s available online and in person that can help get pets into homes faster.
People interested in fostering a dog can start the virtual process by completing the foster application at bedallas90.org. Then, emailed instructions will provide them with a link to an orientation that will explain how to select a pet and how to care for it. Someone from the DAS Foster Team will call to answer any more questions, help pair the potential foster parent with the right pet and finalize the foster paperwork. From there, they can schedule a pick up time with DAS, and they’ll bring the new pet right out to the car for pickup.
This can also be done in person by visiting DAS’ main shelter at 1818 North Westmoreland Road. Webber said the process is usually faster in person.
“If you would like to adopt, we encourage you to visit one of our locations in person today rather than apply online,” she said. “The online process typically takes a few days to complete, and right now, every minute counts.”
Foster cases can often last from a few days to a few weeks. DAS provides crates, food and bowls for the foster pets. “Whether you can take a pet in for three days or three months, becoming a foster will literally save a life,” Webber said.
DAS pets are free right now to adopt and come spayed and neutered, vaccinated, and with a microchip to track them, as well as a voucher to the vet if they need it.
Daily adoptions are offered at DAS’ main shelter, at its PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center on North Coit Road, and on its website. The main shelter is open Monday through Friday from 1 to 7 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
