Oakland animal shelter makes urgent plea for adoptions as dog kennels fill up
OAKLAND – Oakland Animal Services says its shelter is packed to the brim with animals and the organization is issuing an urgent plea for community members to adopt a rescue pet.
"Every single dog kennel we have is full. We have over 100 great dogs that are available for adoption and they're just not getting adopted quickly enough so we have more dogs coming in every day than are going out," said Ann Dunn the director of Oakland Animal Services.
During the pandemic, about 30% fewer animals were being brought in and as more people worked from home, they rushed to bring home a new animal friend. Now, things are taking a hard turn.
"People have been struggling economically throughout the pandemic and I think we're really starting to see the impact of that where people who love their dogs – and the last thing they want to do is bring them here – are bringing them here," Dunn told KPIX 5.
Dunn also pointed to an influx of large breed dogs that can be difficult to home in an environment where housing is scarce and renters are not always welcomed to keep larger pets.
"We're seeing an increase in the number of German Shepherds and Huskies coming in and that's relatively new," she said. "It used to be that we're seeing mostly pit bulls."
Oakland Animal Services is slashing adoption fees and keeping longer hours in hopes it can free up some space — and more importantly — offer the freedom of a new family to these animals desperate for a home.
The shelter is extending hours from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 5 through Saturday, May 8.
It is charging $20 to adopt an animal, reduced from the normal rate of $150.
Additional information about animal adoption can be found by visiting https://www.oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt/how-to-adopt/ .