FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Management at the Fayetteville Animal Services shelter says they're running out of kennels for all the dogs they take in as adoptions have been slower than usual recently.
"We've had animals that, like Boston, he's been here since January," Brianna Curry, the programs administrator for FAS, said about a smiling mixed-breed dog that is currently free to adopt thanks to a sponsorship.
"I've never seen a dog sit here for six months like that. And he's a good dog. He loves other dogs. It's just been really slow."
Shelter management wrote to followers on Facebook on July 19 that they've had a steady stream of dogs coming in, but not adopted out.
"Currently, we only have 40 kennels for dogs, that includes space for stray animals," Curry explained. "So 38 [dogs], that's really maxing it out."
Curry says that when it comes to owners surrendering their dogs to the shelter, she believes that the housing market is playing a role.
Most rentals charge high monthly pet fees per each pet you have, on top of a one-time pet security deposit fee that is typically refunded after you move out.
According to Zillow, monthly pet fees can range from $25 to $100, while security deposits for pets are between $200 to $500.
Some people also continue to surrender the pets they adopted during the pandemic because they aren't working from home anymore.
"A lot of the dogs that we get are young, we don't get a lot of senior dogs," Curry said. "So really, a lot of them are probably the pandemic puppies that people really didn't have as much time for as they thought."
The full shelter is not only a strain on kennel space, but it also costs more to run.
"When we are this full, we do see a higher amount of need for dog food, need for cleaning supplies, like bleach and laundry detergent, and so it's definitely expensive," Curry said.
When you add a new pet to your home, no matter what type of animal it is, it's key to show your new family member some patience and grace as they get settled in.
"I do also like to tell people, you know, it takes three days to start to decompress, three weeks to learn your schedule, and three months to really feel at home," she added.
If you bring a new pet from Fayetteville Animal Services home, and you're worried it isn't working out, just call them. They're here to help you and your new family member.
"We always tell people to if you get them home, and you have any questions, feel free to call us because we want to make it work, we want, we want to be as helpful as possible," Curry emphasized.
If you want to help the shelter, the two biggest ways are by adopting or fostering, but shelter management says you can also just share their Facebook posts of adoptable pets to get them in front of more people.
You can also reach out to them if you'd like to sponsor an adoption fee.
Adoptable Dogs at Fayetteville Animal Services
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