Sweet Potato and Golden Corral are currently taking shelter at Alachua County Animal Resources. They spend most of the day in their pens, but when it’s time to go out to the yard, they use it to the fullest. When they have the opportunity to play together, no one can break up their fun.
Sweet Potato, a blue brindle bulldog type, has been at the shelter for about five and a half months. Golden Corral, who is most likely a terrier cur mix, has stayed there for about four. Outreach Program Supervisor Kyle Fehl said dogs of these breeds are some of those most commonly seen at shelters in the Southeast.
Sweet Potato and Golden Corral are just two of the 120 dogs and 128 cats up for adoption at ACAR as of Tuesday. To encourage residents to adopt, ACAR has waived adoption fees for the month. Fehl said it’s a common decision for shelters at capacity.
About 230 animals were admitted just this month, Fehl said. As of Tuesday, the shelter had no open kennels to accommodate more.
During the summer, more people travel and fewer people adopt, he said. But the warmer months — also known as “kitten season” — bring even more litters into the shelter.
Infant kittens are extremely vulnerable and need to be fed every two hours. Fehl said most of the kittens are cared for by foster families until they are ready for adoption.
The shelter has seen about a third more animals at the shelter this season than this time last year, Fehl said, which could be due to economic trends.
“Right now, everything is very expensive,” he said.
Waving fees can advertise and encourage adoption during the otherwise slow month, he said, so the shelter can make room for future animals in need of a home.
“We’ve had more people in response to the event,” Fehl said. “Not so much because the fees are waived, but because people see, ‘Oh my god, the shelter is having an adoption event,’ and they take it as a sign to come in and adopt a pet.”
Hanan Simmons rescued her first cat from around her apartment complex. After seeing ACAR’s Facebook advertisement for the adoption event, she took advantage of the opportunity to get her feline friend a sibling.
“I wanted to get her another cat to keep her company,” Simmons said.
After meeting some of the animals at the shelter, Simmons met Jackson, a 2-year-old cat, and decided to adopt him.
“I am excited and nervous at the same time,” Simmons said. “It’ll be my first time having more than one animal.”
After completing the paperwork, the only obstacle left was introducing her two cats to each other. The process can take time and patience.
When adopting an animal, Interim Director Sianne Sauve said it’s important to consider the needs of the breed and what the adopter can provide.
“Some dogs are simply born with that innate feeling that they need a job,” Sauve said. “Sometimes that just means running and running and running.”
Adopters also need to give their new pet time to adapt and settle into their new environment.
“We have to recognize that their lives have been turned upside down,” she said. “We need to be looking at things from the dog or the cat’s perspective and recognize that they don't understand. They just know that all of a sudden their life has been changed again.”
For prospective adopters interested in meeting animals at the shelter, walk-throughs are available 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The animals at the shelter are sterilized, vaccinated and microchipped before adoption. Adopters will also receive a complimentary veterinarian examination and may receive a voucher for a low-cost training program.
After this month, adoption fees will return to $50 for a dog and $30 for a cat.
To foster an animal, ACAR requires a legal form of ID and contact information. The shelter will perform a background check using the state-run cruelty database to ensure there are no welfare concerns.
When fostering, the shelter covers all food supplies and vet visits. It will also provide additional consultations and basic training.
Families who choose to adopt their foster animal will also get adoption fees waived.
Addison Gload is a contributing writer for The Alligator.
