SPRINGDALE (KFSM) -- An overcrowded Springdale Animal Services is looking for more space to meet the growing needs of the city's shelter animals.
“We are pretty full but that's not uncommon for us,” said Courtney Kremer, Springdale director of animal services. "We do run at or overcapacity a lot...we just fit them wherever we can."
The shelter currently has 44 dogs and 64 cats that need homes and are up for adoption. However, they take in more than 2,000 animals in the course of a year.
Kremer said their current facility was built in 1994, and they have nowhere to expand the shelter at that location.
"We don't really have outdoor areas for the dogs to exercise in," she said. "We have kennels outside that the dogs do go outside to use the bathroom every day, but it's not an area where you can throw a ball and have them run after it."
Kremer said right now, the building has kennels for about 30 dogs. When those are full they have to use the back building, which was the original shelter. Although it holds more than 20 dogs, it has several issues.
“The city is growing and with more people come more animals, and eventually it's going to become a problem," she said. "It's a problem now, but it's going to be more of a problem if our intake annually starts like I'm expecting it too."
Kremer said they hope to either buy land or use land the city already owns to build a new shelter with enough space to meet all their needs. The shelter is still in the early planning stages, but shelter officials hope to have a plan for a new facility submitted to the city by the end of January.
In the meantime, Kremer encouraged anyone who is interested in adopting a pet to come visit the shelter.