Kennel space for dogs running out at CMPD Animal Care and Control
The dog kennels at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police’s Animal Care and Control have reached zero capacity, and if relief doesn’t come soon, shelter officials could face “hard decisions.”
Earlier this week, the shelter said it had fewer than five kennels open for incoming dogs.
“WE. NEED. HELP,” the shelter posted on social media platforms in a plea to the public to consider adopting or fostering a dog.
Capacity issues at the shelter could get worse as summer approaches, according to Julia Conner, a humane education specialist with Animal Care and Control said.
The facility on Byrum Drive near Charlotte Douglas International Airport has 41 dogs available for adoption in house, Conner said Thursday. The shelter has 164 dogs, but the majority are not available for adoption because they are placed on hold, she said.
The shelter has 155 dog kennels, Conner said. Small dogs and puppies can sometimes share a kennel, depending on their size, she said.
Dogs are often placed on holds due to evictions, disasters, cases of cruelty, or because they are lost, Conner said.
There are approximately 30-40 dogs in each hold category, she said. These holds can last from 10 days to six weeks. For cruelty cases, holds can last even longer depending on how long the courts take to prosecute a case.
Each animal placed on a hold takes up kennel space that can’t be used for other dogs, Conner said. Although it has been easier for Animal Care and Control to get kittens adopted or into foster homes, the shelter needs help with dogs. And summers have always been a challenge, she said.
It’s unclear why the shelter is at zero capacity now, but Conner said many dogs are lost or are waiting to be claimed.
Things are especially challenging now. Some dogs that were in foster care during the COVID-19 pandemic have been returned because their six-month foster periods have ended, or because their caregivers worked from home but are now headed back to the office, she said.
Other dogs go on “staycation,” which last five days.
The shelter has been steadily full since late 2020, and it receives as many as 30 dogs a day, Conner said.
“If we don’t get the community’s help to empty out kennels, then we will have no choice but to make hard decisions, and we really don’t want to get to that point,” Conner said.
This means deciding which dogs have to be euthanized.
“When we put out pleas and we just don’t see any improvement, we have no choice,” Conner said.
Adopt or foster a dog
Applications to become a foster home for a dog can be found on CMPD Animal Care and Control’s website.
Animal Care and Control will hold a Facebook Live event at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23. A foster adoption event is planned at Petsmart, 9515 South Blvd., in Pineville, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Fees have been waived or reduced for many of the dogs.
The shelter is located at 8315 Byrum Drive in west Charlotte. Its hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 10:57 AM.
