Sacramento animal shelter is ‘beyond maximum capacity.’ You can adopt a pet for free
A Sacramento animal shelter is waiving adoption fees to help pets find new homes in time for Christmas.
“Our shelter is in desperate need of adopters,” the shelter said in a Facebook post on Friday. “We are beyond maximum capacity.”
In fact, the post said, the shelter has had to house dogs in its offices due to the lack of kennel space.
“To save lives, as well as bring holiday happiness to our community, we are waiving all adoption fees now through Dec. 23,” the shelter said. “Our dream is to get every animal a home by Christmas!”
How can you adopt a pet for free?
Front Street Animal Shelter is offering free pet adoptions through Saturday, Dec. 23.
Typically adoption fees cost $25 to $150 depending on the animal you adopt.
You can see the full list of available dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters on the shelter’s website.
The shelter recommends having at least two potential pets you’re interested in meeting or adopting in case the one you want has already been taken.
Most adopted animals are already microchipped and spayed or neutered, with vaccinations for rabies and other diseases. They’ve also been given flea and deworming preventatives, and tested for heartworm in the case of dogs.
You also get a health exam certificate and, in the case of city residents, a one-year license.
Each adopted dog comes with a collar and leash, while adopted cats come with cardboard carriers.
What should you do when you find a stray animal?
If you find a stray dog or cat, your first instinct may be to take it to an animal shelter.
Front Street Animal Shelter is advising people to hold on to stray animals for a few days before bringing them in.
“Our shelter is chronically overcrowded,” Lizz Thompson, the shelter’s operations manager, said in a Monday news release. “We frequently have no open kennels and must pair multiple dogs in the same kennel, which leads to high stress and potential disease transmission.”
“Because of these realities, we recommend that finders of lost dogs explore other options before taking them to the shelter,” she said.
“In surveys we’ve conducted, finders who held onto the dog found the owner about 40% of the time,” Ryan Hinderman, customer service manager for the Front Street Animal Shelter, said in the release.
Here are some tips to follow if you find a stray animal, from the Front Street Animal Shelter:
Does the animal have a microchip? Consider taking the animal into a veterinary office or shelter to check for a chip.
Make a social media post. Posting to sites such as Nextdoor, Craigslist, PawBoost and Facebook can help get the word out on the stray animal.
Go for a walk. Taking the animal for a walk and asking residents in the neighborhood where you found it can help get the animal back home. “Most dogs are found close to home,” Front Street Animal Shelter said.
File a pet report on 24PetWatch.
Upload a photo of the animal to Petco Love Lost. The site provides a free facial recognition tool that helps owners locate their pets on the Petco site.
Post flyers in your neighborhood. Front Street Animal Shelter suggests posting flyers in the busiest intersections, near the area where you found the lost animal.
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