Packed city shelter turns away cats, dogs

Struggling to keep up with an increasing number of owners surrendering their pets in Edmonton, the Humane Society has closed its doors to owners wanting to put their cats or dogs in the shelter.

Owner-surrendered cats will not be accepted in any circumstances and the Edmonton Humane Society will only accept dogs surrendered in urgent circumstances, such as those requiring medical care. The society is charging a higher fee for these dogs.

Warren Dean, spokesman for the Edmonton Humane Society, said the society cannot accept owner-surrendered animals because the shelter has reached capacity and is struggling to find room for animals. The shelter experienced a spike in surrendered animals, particularly an influx of kittens, and has a backlog of animals waiting for spay and neuter surgeries before they can be placed for adoption.

“We’ve seen an abnormal trend in a lot more owner surrenders, especially with dogs,” Dean said.

As of Wednesday, 439 cats and kittens, and 143 dogs and puppies were being housed in the shelter.

“We are being stretched to the limits for space and we want people to come on down, help us out and start adopting,” Dean said, adding that a cat adoption event will be coming up in a few weeks.

The shelter is still taking in stray animals as part of their mandate and Dean said they are asking owners who want to surrender pets to wait until the shelter can make room for new animals.

“If a pet doesn’t have to be surrendered right now, if it’s not a dire situation, if it’s not an emergency, we just ask that people hold off on that.”