Fort Worth’s animal shelter is caring for about 1,000 dogs. They desperately need homes
Fort Worth Animal Care & Control has nearly 1,000 dogs in its shelters, according to volunteers at the shelters. Nearly 90 of the dogs live in outdoor kennels. In March, the shelters took in more than 1,400 dogs.
The shelters are well beyond their 850 animal maximum capacity, and that means more euthanized animals, a group of volunteers said in an emailed statement. Lately, it’s been about 20 euthanized dogs a week, one volunteer said. Sometimes more, sometimes fewer.
The problem isn’t new, but it is getting worse.
In February, the shelter said it had more than 800 cats and dogs in need of adoption. On Friday, the city’s website listed more than 990 dogs and more than 100 cats up for adoption.
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control leaders say a large part of that is due to the fact that Fort Worth is growing.
“And the bigger that we get, the more animals we’re going to have,” Chris Lirette, the city’s animal-control supervisor, said in February.
The shelter volunteers said it’s also because of irresponsible pet owners. Pet owners who don’t microchip their dogs, spay or neuter their pets, abuse them and those who can’t or don’t want to care for them anymore and take them to the shelter have contributed greatly.
The volunteers are asking for the community to help save the dogs who are being euthanized. The volunteers said the shelter is not doing anything to cause the overcrowding and that volunteers and staff are doing everything they can to avoid euthanizing dogs for space. The shelter only does it because they don’t have any other options, the volunteers said.
A part of that is just helping to make sure that dogs don’t end up at the shelter, volunteers said. Getting your dog spayed and neutered can prevent them from breeding litters of puppies that can’t be properly cared for or aren’t wanted. Those puppies can end up at the shelter.
Shelter volunteers also suggested taking a dog out for a few hours. The shelter allows dogs to be taken out for a walk, to go to the park or to hang out at your home for a day, then go back. That helps the dogs by getting them out of the shelter environment for a little while (yes, dogs have mental health needs, too), but also by giving the shelter more information about how the dog behaves out in the world. That can help them adopt the dog out.
Adopting a dog would be one of the best ways to help, but shelter volunteers say prospective dog owners should make sure they can handle caring for a dog first. Make sure you can take the time to care for it, have the money to feed it, take it to the vet and get it groomed regularly and that you are getting a dog whose personality and temperament you can handle.
Fostering a dog, which many shelter volunteers do, is another great way to help, they said. Fostering a dog means you take it home with you until a permanent adopting dog owner can be found. The shelter provides food, treats, beds, crates, leashes and other basic supplies that are available based on donations the shelter receives.
If you want to help out but can’t adopt or foster a dog, shelter volunteers recommend joining them at the shelter caring for the animals.
And anybody can donate. The volunteers said donations of household items like newspapers, old towels, blankets and cleaning supplies are especially needed. Supplies for dog fosters, like those listed above, are other great options. Money donations can be made to the shelter, as well.
Any canned dog food donated should have pop tops, and the shelter does not accept Alpo or Old Roy brands.
For more information, visit fortworthtexas.gov/animals.
This story was originally published April 15, 2022 at 6:29 PM.