Overcrowding a major issue at many North Texas animal shelters
NORTH TEXAS — . North Texas animal shelters are well over capacity.
In Addison, one rescue focuses on saving dogs that will soon be euthanized. However, they fear they won't be able to operate in their building much longer.
For the past fifteen years, Tina Austin has put her blood, sweat and tears into Cody's Friends Rescue, named after her first dog.
"We're an all-breed rescue," she said. "Our tagline is "pits to poodles" and so we rescue anything, everything. Especially, we're focusing on the dogs that are code red on the euthanasia list."
At any given time she can temporarily house 60 dogs, but says recently, she learned the landlord wants to sell this building.
"It's very emotional because I've put my heart and soul into it," she said. "It's really hard to see everything you know be taken away."
She said this could not come at a worse time. The work she does is desperately needed right now.
Dallas Animal Services is over 140% capacity for dogs. Right now, adoption fees are waived. Pets come spayed/neutered and with age-appropriate vaccines, a microchip, and an ID tag. They also provide adopters with a free week of virtual training through GoodPup, coupons for Petco and PetSmart and a Healthy Start voucher for $250 towards a wellness exam at a VCA Hospital.
The Collin County animal shelter is over 150% capacity. The county has approved a bond for a shelter expansion. The shelter said adoption and foster numbers are abysmally low and even the rescue organizations that they have always depended on to save countless lives are unable to take on more because no one is adopting or fostering from them either. Its available animals can be viewed by clicking here.
"Every shelter is over 100%," Austin said. "It's the worst we've ever seen."
Austin said she thinks the problem started with COVID-19.
"Everybody went out and got a dog because we were home for two years and then after two years, they started returning these dogs to the shelter," she said. "I think the economy has a big part to do with it as well."
She's even struggling to keep up with vet bills.
"Those have increased about 20% in the last year alone, so it's expensive," she said.
The rescue says there are 25 dogs that are currently in their building. They need to be fostered or adopted. If interested you can email cody@codysfriendsrescue.com
They hope to move into a new building in the future but for now, they're thankful for any help that comes their way. For more information, click here.