Memphis shelter offers aid to struggling pet owners
The Memphis Animal Shelter is aiming to put more resources in the hands of residents who could be on the verge of surrendering their pet because of financial barriers.
The shelter's Pet Resource Center is now able to offer more resources for pet owners, including assistance with pet deposits, temporary boarding if the owner is relocating to a new residence, and help with behavioral issues.
Plans to enhance the shelter's resources were already underway before the pandemic, but the arrival of COVID-19 added a layer of urgency.
"When COVID hit, we knew pet parents were going to be struggling, with so much income and job loss occurring. We knew we had to take the services available to the next level," said the shelter's community engagement specialist, Katie Pemberton.
The bundle of new resources will complement the day-to-day functions of the shelter, which have been complicated by the pandemic. Shelter officials are hopeful that grants and individual donations will sustain funding for the offerings separate from the shelter's operating budget.
"Animal welfare grant funders seem to be very invested in this type of programming, so we anticipate that much of our grant funding moving forward
will fall under this category," Pemberton said.
The resources are available to most Shelby County residents with the exception of those who live in Germantown, Bartlett, or Collierville. The shelter has posted the full list of offerings on their website.
Limitations on staff disrupted rate of adoptions
Some of the urgency in keeping more animals in their homes is related to staffing challenges spurred by the pandemic.
Limitations on the number of staff allowed in the building at any given time mean there are limits on the number of animals that can be cared for, Pemberton said.
Like other shelters across the country , interest in adopting or fostering an animal peaked somewhat at the start of the pandemic, with potential animal parents coming to the shelter in "record numbers", Pemberton said. However, "that's dropped off a lot as people are trying to adjust to their new normal."
Pemberton hopes the number of scheduled appointments of adoptions will begin to rise again, but the shelter is also eager to sign up more county residents as temporary fosters.
"One of the absolute biggest things you could do to help shelters, rescues, and homeless pets is to foster," Pemberton said. "It is the future of animal welfare."
Forms to foster a dog, or a cat, are available through the shelter's website.