With 1,650 Pets in Our Care, We’re at a Breaking Point

PHOENIX (June 26, 2024) – The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) is in dire need of the community’s help to adopt, foster, and volunteer as we’re now exceeding maximum capacity, with the busiest part of the summer yet to come.

“Today, we have 1,650 pets in our care, which is more than we’ve cared for at a single time in our 67-year history,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, President and CEO of AHS. “To meet this surging demand, we’ve set up temporary kennels at multiple locations, including our old Sunnyslope campus. We’ve also called in relief veterinarians and medical staff to keep up with the overwhelming number of pets coming through our doors. We’re feeling the pinch everywhere.”

Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, June 27, through Sunday, July 7, we’re waiving adoption fees for all pets. “Clearing our adoption kennels of healthy pets now provides us with the best opportunity to continue to serve more sick, injured and abused pets across the Valley,” said Hansen.

We’re bracing for the busiest month of the year as animal welfare organizations across the Valley prepare for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday where record numbers of pets go missing each year, as well as more intense summer temperatures, which lead to more pets in distress from heat-related illnesses.

“I wish I could say this capacity problem will be solved once we are out of the busiest parts of summer, but this is a complex, community-wide issue,” said Hansen. “We’re in a crisis and it’s going to take our entire community to navigate these challenging times. I’m making an urgent request to our community to adopt, foster and volunteer. We need your help.”

We point to a handful of trends leading to the overcapacity crisis. When the pandemic hit, spay and neuter was halted and years later, we’re still feeling those effects. Population growth, increased home prices and evictions, inflation, and lack of affordable pet friendly housing and veterinary care has created a worse case scenario for our community.

Arizona Humane Society Snapshot:

• 765 pets are being treated at AHS in the Lazin Animal Foundation Hospital.
• 650 pets are in temporary foster homes, with another 100 pets awaiting placement.
• Adoptions have remained steady; however, dogs, especially those over 50 pounds, are waiting on average ten more days to find a home and are taking up

  much-needed kennels. Some dogs like Brutus (pictured right) have been waiting for more than 100 days to be adopted.

• AHS Rescue, Cruelty and Pet Resource Center teams are responding to 250 calls a day, a 25 percent increase, from the community reporting cruelty and neglect and from pet owners desperate to relinquish their pets.
• Because shelters are full, healthy pets needing to be rehomed due to a change in housing or loss of a job have no place to go. AHS’ wait time for an owner surrender appointment is 6 months.

“I’ve never been more grateful and proud of our donors, volunteers, Foster Heroes, rescue partners and staff,” said Hansen. “Our staff is exhausted and it’s taking an emotional toll, but they are resilient and our commitment to our mission has never been greater.”