Cory Stottlemyer, deputy shelter director at BARC, said the event comes at a great time as its shelter is currently over capacity with more than 300 dogs and between 70 to 100 cats at a given time. Stottlemyer said BARC aims to adopt out over 100 animals to top the goal of 99 adopted animals from last year.
Cindy King, Sugar Land's animal services manager, said since reopening the city's shelter earlier this year after a temporary closure caused by a case of distemper in their facility, staff members have been battling constant overcrowding.
King said the shelter has resorted to setting up crates in the hallway and taking up housing usually used for its cat population to provide enough space for the 49 dogs it currently houses.
According to Stottlemyer, the mega-adoption event in past years has resulted in more than 1,000 animals being adopted, which helps provide some much-needed relief at area animal facilities.
Many of these shelters participate in events, programs or animal swaps with partnering organizations to curb their animal populations as they continue to see a rise amid stray animal intakes and owner surrenders.
This comes as other local adoption centers and out-of-state rescues battle overcrowding issues.
“Those resources have all dried up; there’s still a few here and there, but everybody is full. Nobody can take animals,” John Fischer, Pearland’s animal services manager, said. “We still offer a list of resources to people, local rescues, the humane society and SPCA – but if I’m being frank – those places are full, too. So, while we are giving them the resources, they’re not likely resources that are going to be able to help them.”
Fischer said across the board; overcapacity continues to be a rampant issue as animals are breeding – particularly in Texas – year-round, and the influx of pets adopted during the pandemic then later returned flooded the market.
Some facilities, such as BARC, are managed intake shelters. Other shelters, like the city of Pearland’s animal shelter, were previously open intake shelters but have recently had to move to more limited intake services.
According to Fischer, the city’s shelter implemented stricter intake services in July, which includes requesting all those who bring in stray animals to have a form of identification with a Pearland address on it.
This measure was put in place because the shelter was struggling with the number of residents from other jurisdictions coming in to drop off stray animals they claimed were from the area.
Fischer said local relationships Pearland's animal shelter has with Houston Humane Society and the SPCA of Brazoria County allow the facility to swap out long-stay animals to get fresh adoptee eyes on them are helpful in providing an immediate way of reducing the shelter's growing population.
The Houston Humane Society and the SPCA of Brazoria County will also participate in the Petco Love "Mega Adoption event.
Cory Stottlemyer said BARC will be re-filling crates set up at next weekend's event as animals leave with their new owners to get more adopted out.
Photo by BARC Animal Shelter and Adoption Center
Petco Love Mega Adoption Event
Where: George R. Brown Convention Center
When: Saturday and Sunday, October 21 & 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fall in Love Adoption Event (City of Sugar Land Animal Shelter)
Where: Constellation Field
When: Sunday, October 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
City of Pearland Animal Shelter
City of Sugar Land Animal Shelter
BARC
