Oklahoma City Shelters Overwhelmed By Returned Pets

Oklahoma City Animal Welfare and other local shelters are in desperate need of pet parents because of overcrowding.

On Wednesday, OKC Animal Welfare said it was at 150% capacity for dogs and 82% capacity for cats.

The issue is being driven by pets being returned to local shelters "at alarming rates," Regina McCudy, owner of Raven's Rescue, told KOCO.

“The Oklahoma City animal shelter for the very first time that I recall has put out a plea to the OKC population to stop bringing animals to the shelter,” she said.

Superintendent for OKC Animal Welfare Jon Gary told KFOR last week that around 75 animals were being dropped off at the shelter every day.

The shelter's goal is to save 90% of the animals that come through the door, but Gary said that it's getting harder to do.

“We do not want to euthanize animals for space, and we’re trying very very hard to not let that happen here,” he said. 

It's not really clear if the overcrowding is from an influx of pandemic pets being returned or if animal drop offs are back to their normal rates. A recent study from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that nearly 90% of people who adopted during the pandemic plan on keeping their four-legged friend.

OKC Animal Welfare recently waived its fees to encourage more people to adopt.