FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Big Paws of the Ozarks, which is a foster-based Fayetteville rescue for dogs, has been overwhelmed with intakes. According to an Instagram post, the rescue has been flooded with calls of people threatening to abandon or hurt their dogs if Big Paws doesn't take them in.
"Life running a rescue is never boring," said Kayla Mayes with Big Paws. "Being in animal welfare, we sometimes see the worst of humanity, we see the abuse and neglect cases, we see dogs and other animals being treated in ways that they should never be treated."
Mayes said the rescue just doesn't have the room to keep taking in dogs currently. This comes as euthanasia rates reach a three-year high, according to Mayes.
"On average, every week, we're turning away and minimum about 70 dogs," Mayes said. "It's just a trying time. It's hard and we wish that we had the space to take in all of them. But unfortunately, the reality is, that we don't."
The rescue has saved 220 dogs just this year. This week, they took in 15 puppies.
"Now we're seeing back to pre-COVID numbers and shelters, adoption rates are decreased too. We're seeing more people choosing to purchase dogs from breeders," Mayes said.
At Fayetteville Animal Services, they are seeing similar issues. They have lots of dogs that are not getting adopted.
"We're seeing just a lot more, especially dogs just sitting a little bit longer in shelters," said Justine Lentz, Animal Services Superintendent for Fayetteville Animal Services. "It's mainly like young adult dogs, I think bigger dogs that sit the longest, because there's just more of them."
When asked why the shelters are so crowded, both Mayes and Lentz said it isn't just one reason.
"Maybe they're not ready to add another one right now. Maybe it's the economy," Lentz said.
To help fix the issue, Mayes stresses the importance of getting your pet spayed or neutered.
"In Arkansas, a lack of spay and neuter laws and regulations [statewide] really helps maintain this unreasonable level of puppy litters," Mayes said. "That looks like fostering if you can, adopting if you can, and at the least spaying and neutering your pets."
They both encourage people to extend some compassion to our furry friends and those who help them.
"Animal welfare is in a crisis right now," Mayes said. "We just try to approach it with as much kindness and empathy as we can try to help make sure that we can get dogs out of bad situation."
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