Eta, COVID-19 spur influx at shelter
FORT LAUDERDALE — An “unexpected influx” of dogs has officials at the Broward County-run shelter scrambling to find homes and foster care volunteers.
Nearly 10 million pets could be displaced in the coming months due to owners being at risk of eviction amid the COVID19 pandemic, say officials with the Humane Society of the United States.
But county shelter officials think the recent spike in numbers might also be related to recent flooding caused by Tropical Storm Eta.
People out of work are surrendering pets due to the pandemic, but some people are finding dogs that escaped their flooded yards and bringing them to the shelter, said Lisa Mendheim, spokeswoman for Broward County Animal Care and Adoption.
“We’ve had a lot of rain, and pets have been displaced,” Mendheim said .“People were finding them in their neighborhood sand are bringing them in.”
Jeffery Halsey, the shelter’s interim director, sent out an urgent plea for help over theweekend.
“In part because of an unexpected influx of multiple dogs, [the shelter] finds itself exceeding its dog capacity and is asking for any assistance you can provide in taking additional pets… or forwarding this email to anyone you think might be interested,” he wrote. “I also welcome any suggestions you may have on helping us locate homes for these pets.”
People willing to help were urged to send an emailtoRescue@broward.org.
As of Tuesday, more than 150 dogs were waiting on homes at the county-run shelter at 2400 SW 42nd St. in Fort Lauderdale. “Most of them are bigger dogs that need a home,” Mendheim said.
Adoption fees for both dogs and cats have been waived to help spur adoptions.
After being closed for months due to the pandemic, the shelter reopened to the public on Nov. 3.
“People don’t realize we’re open,” Mendheim said. “If there’s any message we want to get out, it’s, ‘Hey, come on by.’ Wouldn’ t it be nice to take a pet home for the holidays? We usually have increased adoptions during holidays.”
The shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday from11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All visitors are required to wear masks. A limited number of people are allowed in at the same time, so there might be a wait. Whenthe shelter was closed, online adoptions were still taking place. But adopters were forced to rely solely on photos.
Now that the shelter is open, would-be adopters can meet their prospective pet face-to-face.
“I think people really like to see the animal and bond with the animal,” Mendheim said. “People can come by as a familyand interact with different pets and choose the one that’s best for them. If you want to adopt or foster a pet, stop on by.”