Animal shelters in Philadelphia struggle with pet adoptions
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- March 23 marks National Puppy Day, and one of the big pushes is adoption at shelters across the country. In Philadelphia, adoption numbers are at all-time lows.
Philadelphia animal shelters like ACCT Philly and PSPCA are at full capacity, especially when it comes to dogs.
"We're just getting dogs left and right," executive director Sarah Barnett said. "All sizes. All ages."
ACCT Philly currently takes in about 100 dogs a week which Barnett says was about the same in 2019.
The difference now, though? Adoption numbers are dangerously low.
"We rely on adoptions and on rescue partners," Barnett said. "So when rescue partners are also slow on adoptions, they can't take in as many animals from us, so it's really a trickle-down effect."
Just down the road at PSPCA, they are also struggling to get people to adopt dogs.
"We are full," Maddie Bernstein said. "We have zero open kennels right now."
Both shelters say it's a mixed bag as to why adoptions are low.
Inflation, housing and the end of the pandemic with people going back to work are all contributing factors.
"We really need something big and splashy to empty all of our kennels so we can make space for all of the dogs that are constantly coming in," Bernstein said.
Both want dog owners in the city to know there are resources to help from pet pantries to low-cost vet care.
"The trick is really we got to get to those owners before they get to the door because by the time they're at a shelter with an animal they already have come to that conclusion that I need to surrender my pet," Barnett said.
The two city shelters are hoping those who can adopt will adopt and provide these dogs a forever loving home.
PSPCA is holding an adoption event this weekend.
"The PSPCA event is happening at the Philadelphia, Danville, and Lancaster locations on Saturday.
All adoption fees are waived for all dogs.
