They’re very busy on Dogpatch Lane.
They’re so busy, that they have more business than they can handle.
If this were a regular company, it would be great news.
But at Pasco County Animal Services, it means dogs are coming in faster than they’re being adopted.
That’s not a good situation for the staff, the volunteers or the animals.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
“We’re beyond capacity. We have dogs in little crates next door,” said shelter supervisor Lise Meinke. The facility is designed to hold no more than 100 dogs, but it has 150 now and more are coming in every day.
The shelter is desperate to find homes for its current residents.
When dogs get adopted, Meinke said it’s not always happily ever after.
People bring dogs back, sometimes just days later, for reasons ranging from a disapproving landlord to excessive barking or chewing.
While she loves seeing the dogs leave to new homes, it’s heartbreaking to see them brought back.
When people adopt a dog, they need to realize that there is an adjustment period, Meinke said.
“The dog from a shelter doesn’t become a housebroken, trained dog overnight. It takes a lot of time and patience, and it’s a commitment. You need to work with that animal,” she said.
The county wants to see more people work with shelter animals, so they’re reducing some of the costs associated with pet adoption. Through the month of October, which is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, adopting a large dog (over 25 pounds and more than six months old) will cost just $15. The fee includes having them spayed or neutered, vaccines and a microchip.
Meinke hopes the promotion will help increase adoptions and help the facility maintain its “no-kill” philosophy.
No shelter is truly 100 percent no-kill, because some animals have medical or severe behavior issues, Meinke said. But, Pasco County Animal Services strives to maintain a 90 percent save percentage or better. Last year the shelter’s save rate was 94 percent.
If adoptions pick up, it will help reduce some of the overcrowding. But nobody expects it to go away completely.
“When are we not at capacity?” asked volunteer Max Sobel, as he cared for an animal in the small dog room. Max and his wife, Teri, have been volunteering at the facility for six years.
The Sobels help take care of the dogs while they’re waiting for a permanent home. While it’s sad to see them lined up in cages with nowhere to go, Teri said she knows that many of them are in a much better place than the negligent or abusive situation where they were before.
So, when a dog finds a new home, it’s a true cause for celebration, Teri said.
“That’s a really good feeling. That makes it all worthwhile,” Teri said. “We come to make life for the dogs as good as it can be while they’re here, and then the main goal is to get them a forever home.”
That forever home takes time, Meinke said.
Smaller, younger dogs are in greater demand, even though older and bigger dogs can be a great fit for many adoptive families.
Since things are so crowded, it’s not surprising that Meinke, who has dogs, cats, goats and a donkey herself, sometimes takes her work home with her.
She has taken home dogs that are scared or need a period of acclimation and attention. She’s also taken home kittens that need to be bottle-fed.
The shelter’s cat facilities are not overcrowded.
While Meinke admits it can be somewhat depressing to wait for the facility’s animals to find a loving home, she knows Pasco County Animal Services is doing everything it can to save their lives and make them better.
“It’s very rewarding, too, because I feel like I’m making a difference, and the team is making a difference,” Meinke said.
Pasco County Animal Services is located at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes. For information about adoption, call (352) 521-5194.
Event:
What: ‘A Purr-fectly Paw-some Howl-o-Ween Party’
Where: Pasco County Animal Services, 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes
When: Oct. 24 from noon to 6:30 p.m.
No Tricks, just treats. Bring in some treats, and adoption fees will be waived. Dogs under 25 pounds, puppies under 6 months, and kittens are excluded. All adoptions include spay/neuter, microchip and vaccines.
Info: Call (813) 929-1212
Published October 21, 2015
