The recent seizure of more than animals from a local rescue only adds to the strain. Shelters in the Big Bend and South Georgia are struggling to keep up with all the dogs and cats coming through the front door.
Chicken was one of them. The 2-year-old spent six long weeks at the shelter before the Phillips family spotted him. Now, he spends his days sprawled out on the hardwood floor at his new home. The family asked to meet just one pup despite kennels full of wagging tails and hopeful faces.
Brandon Phillips said once Chicken walked into the meet and greet room, the decision to adopt him was almost instantaneous. Yeah, seconds. Chicken is one of more than pets adopted from the Tallahassee Animal Service Center so far this year. More than of them are strays and nearly of them were surrendered by their owners. The kennels are beyond full. The shelter posted a map on its Facebook page recently, showing all of its dog kennels are full and the darker colored squares indicate two, or even three dogs sharing the same one.
The shelter director said that in addition to the steady stream of strays, more people are giving up their pets, often due to financial challenges and housing dilemmas. Big dogs are especially at risk, Leckington said. Some call it a perfect storm. And that storm has only intensified this spring after more than dogs were brought into the shelter from a local animal rescue amid allegations of filthy kennels and a lack of adequate food, water and shelter.
The crowded kennels and struggle to get animals adopted is a big concern for Danielle Seliga, a volunteer at the Tallahassee Animal Service Center. She especially worries about dogs like Primrose, a 6-year-old who has been at the shelter or in foster care for more than a year now. Others are reclaimed by their owners or transferred to other shelters and rescue groups. MacFall visits a lot of shelters.
