PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — New numbers from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control show a staggering amount of pets are being abandoned.The situation is so bad it has left animal control officers frustrated and baffled.
Just a few days ago, Nicole Olsen’s neighbor saw someone open their car door and let a female pitbull out on the side of the road.
“The car kept going. She tried to get the car’s attention and the lady didn’t stop or come back for her,” Olsen said.
The dog’s picture was taken and posted on Palm beach County’s Animal Care and Control’s website in the hopes that their owner will claim her.But chances are, that won’t be happening.She then gets to join the rest of the animals at the shelter.
“We get in about 1,800 dogs and cats every month here. That breaks down to about 26 dogs per day and about 32 cats a day,” said Captain David Waleski.
Waleski, of Animal Care and Control, tells us the number of dogs coming in from this year to last has increased by nearly 1,000, up to 9,590.
In most cases, owners aren’t able to afford taking care of their pets any longer.If they go unclaimed, they face the grim prospect of being euthanized. Many of the pets aren’t claimed by their owners.
For every 10,000 dogs turned in, only 3,000 are claimed by their owner.It’s even worse for cats.For every 10,000 turned in, only 250 are ever claimed by their owner.
“There’s a lot of rescue options that exist for dogs and there’s a lot of people looking to adopt dogs. But not so much with cats,” said Waleski.
The more cats and dogs dropped off, the larger the burden
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