If you’ve been thinking about adopting a pet, now could be a good time.
That’s because the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SF SPCA) and San Francisco Animal Care and Control say they currently have an unusually high number of dogs in their care. As a result, the SF SPCA is currently waiving all adoption fees for dogs 5 months and older.
San Francisco Animal Care and Control is offering a similar program, and waiving the adoption fees for big dogs — such as pit bulls, German shepherds, huskies and ridgebacks — through June, with the possibility that the program will be extended.
Why are dog adoptions declining?
The high number of dogs in these shelters is yet another consequence of the pandemic. Spay and neuter surgeries have been delayed due to COVID, which has resulted in many more homeless animals.
Increased travel, offices opening up and loosening restrictions also mean that demand for adoptions is declining. All of this means that many shelters around the country are running out of space for animals.
It’s a complete reversal from the beginning of the pandemic, when figures indicated that almost 1 in 5 American households adopted a pet (including President Biden).
“We’ve seen [overcrowding] in the past, but not all at once — and not in such a drastic change from where we were just a year ago,” says Lisa Feder, SF SPCA’s chief of rescue and welfare.
When they were overpopulated in the past, she says, the SF SPCA would transfer animals to shelters that didn’t have enough for the demand, usually in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast. Now, those out-of-state shelters also are full — and animals don’t have anywhere else to go.
How big dogs get overlooked
It’s also a specific type of dog that’s getting left behind. Most of the dogs in the SF SPCA that need a new home are huskies, shepherds and lab mixes between 40 and 60 pounds, says Feder — and she attributes that fact to the common belief among the public that bigger dogs aren’t compatible with city living.
But size and breed don’t affect compatibility nearly as much as people would think, says Feder. “Adopting dogs and finding the right dog for your family is really more about personality and lifestyle than it is about size or, frankly, even breed,” she says.
Elsewhere in the Bay Area, the East Bay SPCA is experiencing the same problem. Blue and Bananny (pictured above) have been in their care for 8 months and 9 months, respectively — highly unusual for an organization that usually considers 1-2 months a long time.
The East Bay organization has joined the SF SPCA in waiving adoption fees for many animals, and is also celebrating “Adopt a Shelter Cat” month by waiving fees for many adult cats.
For prospective owners
If you’re drawn by the SF SPCA’s current waiving of adoption fees, Feder recommends first meeting with a counselor there, so they can make a match between you and a pet based on lifestyle.
The SF SPCA also offers follow-up support for people who need help adjusting to owning a new dog, including phone assistance, behavioral training and even a 1-1 consultation.
The SF SPCA hasn’t yet planned an end date for the promotion, but Feder says it’s likely the organization will keep waiving fees throughout the summer to help mitigate stress on shelters. And the SF SPCA’s Communications and Community Engagement Manager Krista Maloney says that people who take advantage of the waived fees to adopt should know that their actions will have a wider effect.
“When someone adopts, they’re not just saving one animal’s life, they’re also creating space so we can save another animal,” she says.