Des Moines shelters are overrun with dogs
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Meet Zoey, a 7-year-old pit bull terrier. She is available to adopt at the ARL and enjoys walks and pets. Photos: Courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is experiencing an uptick in dogs, Joe Stafford, director of animal services, tells Axios.
Why it matters: They're also staying for longer on average, which results in less kennel space and stretches resources for medical care and food.
State of play: The current average stay for a dog at the ARL's locations is 18 days. The ideal length is just 10-11 days, Stafford says.
- As of last Friday, there were 287 dogs at the shelter — well above the ideal amount of 150.
- The extra days and higher number of dogs are contributing to extra stress at the shelter.
What's happening: Worsening financial situations for local families may be contributing to the longer stays, which disproportionately hurts larger breeds, Stafford says.
- Increased costs for food, housing and veterinarian care are making it generally more difficult to care for dogs.
- Dog restrictions and extra pet fees also make finding housing more difficult.
Meanwhile, adoptions of cheaper-to-care-for cats and kittens have increased the last two years.
The big picture: Keeping dogs out of shelters requires greater interventions, such as providing pet-friendly affordable housing and improving wages.
- "It's really about working on both ends of the leash," Stafford says.
What's next: The ARL's goal is to adopt out 1,000 dogs this summer.
- Interested? Visit their site.
