According to the Animal Care Centers of New York City, the city’s shelters are currently overflowing with dogs and unfortunately, there aren’t enough people adopting them.
According to spokesperson Katy Hansen, crates filled with dogs line the offices and hallways of shelters, a problem that has persisted for more than a year.
Hansen stated that they are strategically placing crates wherever possible.
According to Hansen, the city’s affordability crisis is the main reason behind the issue. With the soaring cost of rent and vet bills, people are finding it more challenging to adopt a dog.
According to Hansen, while the shelters can provide some cost-saving measures such as a pet food pantry, affordable training, and medical bill assistance, there are still many affordability issues that are beyond their control.
Hansen acknowledged that there are some issues that they cannot solve, such as people who have lost their jobs or those who have experienced a significant increase in their rent.
In 2018 and 2019, adoption rates were consistent, but when the pandemic hit in 2020, fewer people were giving up their pets. However, in 2022, the adoption rate began to slow down. This was compounded by the fact that thousands of dogs are brought into New York City annually from areas with lower adoption rates, according to Hansen.
According to Hansen, the cost of adopting a dog is usually lower than what people anticipate. Animal Care Centers offers several initiatives to assist first-time adopters, including the chance to foster dogs before officially adopting them and a forthcoming orientation program specifically for large dog fosters.
Hansen enthusiastically invites everyone to the shelter to meet their wonderful dogs. According to him, they have a plethora of amazing dogs waiting to be adopted.
