Pet adoption fees dropped as shelter population soars

The number of stray and abandoned pets at Orange County’s animal shelter has soared to record levels, officials said this week, prompting the county to cut adoption fees to $10 and, in some cases, waive them altogether.

“We know that summer is peak breeding seasons for both cats and dogs, but this has been really wild,” said Diane Summers, spokeswoman for Orange County Animal Services. “It’s hard for us to know what the exact cause is.”

With 539 dogs and cats in the facility and another 102 in foster homes, the shelter is nearing capacity, she said.

Though summers are always busy, this year’s situation may be exacerbated by the temporary closure of the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, which can’t take in additional dogs at the moment because of a recent canine influenza outbreak there.

It’s possible that people trying to surrender their pets at the Orlando office of the Pet Alliance may instead be taking them next door to the county facility, Summers said.

While the county already has a strong adoption rate — more than 100 pets found new homes last weekend alone — an equal number can come in on a busy day.

In an effort to increase adoptions, many of the shelter’s animals have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered so they’re ready to be taken home immediately.

Adoption fees have been reduced to $10 for newer residents and waived altogether for any animals who have been in the shelter for at least 10 days.

For more information on adoptable pets, see Facebook.com/OrangeCountyAnimalServices.

The shelter is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.