Calgary Animal Services hosting dog adoption event amid full shelter

Calgary Animal Services is seeing an alarming drop in people looking for their lost dogs. Kevin Green reports.

Calgary Animal Services says it is “uncomfortably full” and is moving up its annual fall adoption event in hopes of finding homes for dozens of dogs.

The agency reported Wednesday it had 75 dogs in its care, with about 30 available for adoption.

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Kathleen Dickson, coordinator of animal care and clinic services, said the situation prompted the civic agency to hold an adoption event this weekend, which is much earlier than planned.

“We typically have it later on in the fall. However, due to the significant high numbers of dogs we have in our shelter, we needed to have it earlier this year.” said Dickson.

“We’re currently sitting at capacity. It’s pretty uncomfortable with the number of dogs we currently have.”

The cost to adopt is being reduced to $100 plus GST, instead of the regular $225 fee.

That price includes spay or neuter surgery, a microchip, vaccinations, deworming, food and a one-year City of Calgary licence.

“Our priority right now is to find these dogs a great home,” Dickson said.

“We are struggling with some of our longer term guests. We’ve got one in particular that’s been here since April.”

Dickson said the city has already impounded more than 1,000 dogs this year, but fewer are being reunited with their owners than in past years.

“The number of dogs that have been reunited with their owner is 66 per cent. That’s still a good number, but 10 short years ago, we returned over 90 per cent of our dogs with their owners. We have seen a steady decline in owners coming to claim their pets.”

She added the agency relies on partners when full, but they too are struggling.

“We have a partnership with both AARCS (Animal Animal Rescue Crew Society) and the Calgary Humane Society where we can transfer adoptable animals to them, but the other agencies are also experiencing capacity issues.

“We’re all struggling right now.”

The Calgary Humane Society confirmed it is also full.

Anna-Lee Fitzsimmons, the society’s director of public relations, said September is always a challenge.

“Particularly with dogs coming into the fall. September is always a difficult month for us for adoptions, and so right now, we have 27 dogs available for adoption,” said Fitzsimmons.

“We have dozens and dozens more in our holding wing and in foster homes, and our wait list continues to be long as well.”

She said the humane society is seeing more surrenders and cases of abandonment.

“We have also seen an increase in the number of animals being abandoned, almost as a form of surrender,“ said Fitzsimmons.

“It is very much so illegal to abandon your animal, and it is one of the things that our peace officers are always answering calls on – animals being abandoned or left behind.”

When an animal is surrendered to the humane society, the agency tries to determine the reason the family no longer wants the pet.

Fitzsimmons says all too frequently it comes down to money.

“We’re seeing a lot of financial hardship,“ she said

“We’re seeing a lot of difficulty in securing pet friendly housing in the city of Calgary. So, this continues to be an ongoing issue for the community.”

To help reduce pressure, the humane society will host its own adoption event on Oct. 11.

Fitzsimmons said the goal is to find homes for dogs before the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Every year, we do see an increase in population, particularly in the fall, most of which in does come in in September. It’s a transitional period of time for folks.”

Fitzsimmons says adoptions tend to slow as well in the early fall.

“With those kinds of transitions in families lives, we do see a decrease in the desire to want to adopt, particularly in September,” she said.

The City of Calgary’s adoption event will run Oct. 2 to 4 at the Animal Services Centre, 2201 Portland St. S.E.