Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter faces desperate situation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala, (WBRC) – The Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter finds itself in a desperate situation this week. Too many animals are being introduced in and overwhelming the employees and assets.

Just within the final three days, 51 animals have been introduced in. Keep in thoughts, it was simply two years in the past when the shelter was expanded. They have already outgrown that new area.

Overwhelmed, overworked, and burdened to the max.

“It does take a toll on the staff and we see so many animals come in daily and it’s our responsibility to take care of them,” stated shelter consumption supervisor Katie Elliott.

Inside the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, each single grownup canine cage is crammed, so there isn’t any extra room within the inn.

Katie Elliott says it doesn’t must be this manner. “We just want the community to realize the shelter shouldn’t be the first option to dump a dog out,” she stated.

And compounding the issue? “We are in puppy and kitten season,” stated Elliott.

The major difficulty is individuals discover animals on the highway and normally they create them in. Elliott feels there’s a higher manner.

“So if they can open their homes, take in a dog even for a couple of weeks, that’s a couple of weeks out of a shelter environment. We give them resources to keep their animals. If you find a stray, look for the owner, go around and knock on some doors,” Elliott stated.

Two years in the past, Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, and Northport chipped in one million {dollars} to increase the shelter. Two years later, the shelter is already bursting on the seams.

“We are still over capacity almost everyday,” Elliott stated.

To put the overcrowding one other manner, solely 14% of all animals introduced in are reclaimed by their homeowners.

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