San Francisco animal shelters' push for holiday adoptions
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Senior dogs lounging at Muttville last week. Photo: Courtesy of Muttville
Local animal shelters are channeling their inner Santa Claus to get dogs and cats into their forever homes for the holidays.
Why it matters: Overcrowding remains an issue at animal shelters, with many shelters "completely and totally overwhelmed with an influx of more dogs than we've seen in many years and fewer adoptions," Laurie Routhier, chief operating officer at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, told Axios.
- Plus, senior dogs are typically the first to be euthanized in overcrowded shelters, she said.
What's happening: Muttville is on a mission to get about 100 dogs adopted for the holidays over just 10 days, its biggest rescue push in Muttville's 16-year history.
- Last week, Muttville rescued 49 senior pups and successfully adopted 33 of them into homes, Routhier said. This week, the shelter expects at least another 50 animals to come in, so it's "all paws on deck," she said.
Also on Rescue Row in the Mission, the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SPCA) and San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SF ACC) are either completely waiving adoption fees or offering free adoptions.
- The SF SPCA is offering free adoptions for all adult animals, and $100 adoptions for puppies and kittens during the holidays.
- Meanwhile, SF ACC is waiving most adoption fees for dogs and all fees for rabbits and guinea pigs. Fees, however, are not waived for dogs like French bulldogs, doodles and golden retrievers, according to SF ACC.
The big picture: Animal shelters across the country are struggling, and have been for the past three years, according to Shelter Animals Count.
- Nationwide, dog adoptions are down 1.2% this year from 2022 amid a 2.5% increase in dog intake from January through September.
Zoom in: From July 2022 through June 2023 (FY 2022-23), SF ACC took in 2,378 dogs and 2,050 cats, compared to 1,974 dogs and 2,232 cats the year prior, according to SF ACC.
- Of note: Last fiscal year, SF ACC adopted out 89% of dogs compared to 91% of dogs the year prior.
What they're saying: "We still have issues with overcrowding," Deb Campbell, a public information officer for SF ACC, told Axios via email. "Most of the shelters in the country are as well."
What's next: Check out the animals looking for a home at Muttville, SF SPCA and SF ACC.