UPPER MARLBORO, Md (7News) — The Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center in Upper Marlboro is calling on the community to adopt a dog.
The facility, which houses dogs, cats, and other animals, says they are overcapacity.
“We’ve been running it anywhere between about 30 to 50% over capacity for more than a year now,” David Fisher, chief and administrator for Animal Services Division for Prince George’s County, told 7News.
Fisher says most shelters across the region are also overcrowded.
“So we’re just everybody’s seeing much more intake than they’ve seen in the past, and much less adoptions…” said Fisher.
SEE ALSO | Missing boy with nonverbal autism rescued from body of water by Prince George’s Police
When the shelter is at capacity, the group will place a list of dogs on a critical/urgent list.
The Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center said in a statement to 7News:
“We produce these lists as necessary and establish the urgent list to ensure transparency, as we currently have too many animals in the facility and require help getting them adopted. This is in addition to our regular efforts to send animals to rescue groups, whether broadly or targeted, before an emergency. We have facilitated successful animal placements by sharing this list with our rescue partners. However, we do not regulate how some groups share, message or promote the list we provide.”
Most animal service municipalities can’t turn animals away, which often skyrockets the intake.
When it comes to intake and adoption, Fisher calls it a “numbers game.”
“Right now, we’ve been running at about 220 to 230 dogs inside the facility,” he said. According to the animal shelter, they try to operate at a bit lower than capacity to avoid preventable issues. Fisher added that the shelter houses about 170 kennels.
“We’re regularly over that number,” Fisher said. “That’s usually the greatest precursor to a disease outbreak, or more issues for stress around the animals. They can get kennel craze where they really just need to get out. So we’re just trying to keep those numbers down,” Fisher added.
The shelter has partnered with rescue organizations in the region to help get the word out.
Tommy Raneses, a D.C. native and now a Delaware resident, drove down to Prince George’s County to meet and pick up the new addition to his family: Scooby
“I got an email from a friend, and they just sent me one of those very upsetting emails that they’re super over capacity and they need people to pick up dogs,” Raneses told 7News. “I think rescue is a big thing. It gives dogs a second chance, it’s kind of something that I always grew up with. And you know, everybody deserves a second chance. So why not?” he said.
For more information on the adoption process, visit the adoption center’s website.
“We’ve done a pretty good job so far this year, getting close to 600 to 700 animals out through adoption so far, but we just need people to come in and continue to adopt from us,” Fisher added.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
