SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Any place a kennel fits, there's a dog at the Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center, in Sierra Vista.
“The shelter’s full," shelter volunteer Jere Fredenburgh said. "This is the first time that I’ve been here in five years where uh all the kennels are full in the front all the kennels are full in the back and the staff have actually been boarding dogs.”
Animal Control Supervisor Arleen Garcia said the over crowding is due to a combination of an increase in surrenders and fewer adoptions than in previous years.
“There seems to be an up tick in surrenders," she said. "There seems to be a problem with people not being able to afford veterinary care, food, things for their pets.”
Gracia said they have had more surrenders because landlords and apartment complexes having weight restrictions for dogs and because people aren't having enough patience with their pets— and turning them in because they dog isn't doing what they want. She is begging the community to have a little more patience with their animals because of the capacity issues.
To help get more adoptions, the animal center staff are having a donation to adopt initiative. From now until September 16, people can adopt a dog for as low as $5.
“To adopt a dog you can give a minimum of a $5 donation or whatever you think you want to donate— or items on our wishlist,” Garcia said.
The shelter currently has a wide range of medium, large and extra large dogs available for adoption. There a dogs in the front and back of the shelter, and in boarding facilities because they ran out of room. The goal of the new promotion is to find homes for the dogs and lower their capacity. Garcia said the shelter hasn't had to euthanize because of over crowding since 2015 and they are finding ways to avoid having to do so.
Nancy J Brua Animal Care Center is low kill animal shelter. Garcia said because they are a municipal shelter there are reasons they may have to euthanize, including offering low cost euthanasia to the public, but haven't specifically killed an animal because of capacity.
“Right now we are kind of in a tight spot," Garcia said. "We really want to avoid getting to that spot. We’re doing the best we can. We’re really trying to avoid getting to the point of having to euthanize.”
The Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center is located at 6799 E. Highway 90. It's open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Call 1-520-458-4151 for more information.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
