Shelters Alarmingly Full As More Than 250,000 Dogs and Cats Await Homes

Animal Welfare Groups Across the Nation Come Together to Ask Public for Help

PLEASANTON, Calif., Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With his gorgeous big blue eyes, Rocky should have no trouble charming everyone. Instead, the Maine Coon-mix cat has been waiting since February for someone—anyone—to come along and take him home. It's a sign of the times as animal shelters and rescues across the nation see more animals entering than leaving, amassing a backlog of adoptable animals and creating a crisis of existential proportions. To tackle the problem, animal welfare advocates, shelters, and rescues today launched Share the Care, a campaign highlighting the powerful impact people can have on homeless animals in their community through even the smallest acts of kindness. People are urged to learn how and where help is needed in their local area and pledge their support at joinsharethecare.org.

The newly launched Share the Care campaign illustrates the critical role the community plays in creating positive outcomes for cats, dogs, and other companion animals. Opportunities like adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating, or even sharing adoptable animals on social media can help give incredible animals a second chance at a wonderful life.

Rocky's life was the stuff of dreams. The amiable feline was doted upon, raised since kittenhood by a devoted guardian who lovingly cared for him in a safe, comfortable home. Then, after 15 years, he lost it all. Rocky's guardian had to enter a medical care facility, and Rocky—with no family or friends available to take him in—was surrendered to Valley Humane Society in Pleasanton, CA. That was six months ago, and Rocky is still awaiting a new home where he can live out his senior years.

Unfortunately, Rocky isn't alone. Animal shelters across the country are packed with dogs and cats who have nowhere to go. It's a drastically different situation than in 2020, when shelters and rescues saw overwhelming demand for adoptable pets. Life during COVID may have influenced how people acquire pets.

For decades, pet adoption has been seen as a badge of honor, but Best Friends recently reported a 400% increase in people purchasing animals online from 2020 to 2021. A popular message on social media stickers, "Adopt, Don't Shop," has subtly morphed to "Adopt or Shop Responsibly." This disturbing trend dilutes the focus on homeless pets and inevitably bolsters the inhumane puppy mill industry.

"Without significant and immediate support from the public," says Stephanie Filer, executive director for Shelter Animals Count, "data analysis of the past few years predicts adoptions will continue to decrease." For more information on specific actions that help save animals' lives, including how to keep pets out of shelters, please visit joinsharethecare.org.

Download images of Rocky the cat and sample animal shelter footage.

Share the Care is a campaign developed by more than 100 animal welfare organizations joining together to create national awareness of the need for people to join the lifesaving efforts of animal shelters in their community. Share the Care is about lifesaving together – government, community, and nonprofit working collaboratively to support homeless pets. Join the campaign at www.joinsharethecare.org to learn more.

SOURCE Valley Humane Society