Front Street shelter flooded with dogs after storms, offers free adoptions as kennels pass max capacity
SACRAMENTO -- With more wet weather on the way, cleanup continues across the Sacramento region after high winds knocked down trees and powerlines earlier this week.
In the wake of the damage, some local animal shelters say they are flooded with lost pets.
Front Street Animal Shelter is completely out of space for dogs and is making all dog adoptions free through February 18 to try and make room.
"Our shelter before the storm was already really full," said Ryan Hinderman, communications manager for the shelter. "When fences blow down, dogs get out."
Hinderman said their kennels are overflowing and beyond maximum capacity.
"After the storm, we got flooded with significantly more animals than normal which really pushed us over the brink in terms of our kennel space," he said.
At their limit, the shelter is struggling with most dogs, having to kennel multiple together.
This is not ideal as it creates a stressful environment for the animals and means illness can spread quickly.
"In 2023, we took in about 1,600 more animals than we did in 2022. The trends of intake are definitely going up," Hinderman said.
As more animals are coming in, he said fewer are getting adopted out. It is a nationwide trend that is hitting the Sacramento shelter hard.
It's why in a desperate move to clear up space the shelter announced free dog adoptions - saying if anyone is looking to add a forever friend to their family, the time is now.
Hinderman says for those who have pets already, this serves as a good reminder.
"Many people think that their pet will never go missing, but statistics show one of every three pets goes missing in its lifetime," Hinderman said.
Before more stormy weather moves in, Hinderman said pet owners should make sure their furry friends are armed with a microchip, have up-to-date tags and, in general, try to keep them inside.
The shelter said the community can help them in other ways if adopting is not an option. That includes coming out to volunteer, making a donation and fostering animals temporarily.
Also, they say if you find a lost pet and can keep it for 48 hours to try to find its owner, this greatly helps the shelter focus on the other lost pets already in their care.
Visit their website for what to do if you have lost or found a pet.