The Verde Valley Humane Society currently has a large number of dogs at the shelter that need to be adopted.
The shelter is seeing the aftereffects of more frequent adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, around 1 in 5 U.S. households acquired a cat or dog since the beginning of the pandemic.
As the pandemic waned, dog adoptions at VVHS in 2022 decreased by 56% and overall shelter adoptions for all animals decreased by 64% when compared to adoption rates during the pandemic. Dog adoptions in 2020 were 116% higher than in 2019; during the primary pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the total increase in the rate of adoption for all shelter animals was 133%.
“The fiscal impact of the pandemic adoption boom-then-bust was astronomical in terms of plummeting adoption fees for the Verde Valley Humane Society, a needed source of revenue,” said Brenda Redel, the society’s executive director.
Financial distress is the biggest cause of the decline in adoptions, with inflation and an unpredictable job market making it necessary for families to prioritize human over animal welfare. Many landlords do not allow pets or charge high pet deposits and monthly fees, prompting residents to get rid of their pets in order to house themselves. In addition, the high costs of spaying and neutering result in fewer pet owners having these procedures done on their animals, which leads to a further increase in numbers.
VVHS’s kennels are at their full capacity for large dogs, which are less likely to be adopted due to the amounts of time and space they require. Older residents usually want cats or smaller, more manageable dogs. About half of the 46 dogs at the shelter are large, bully-breed dogs. Eighteen of these have been there for more than three months; 11 have been there for between six and 18 months. Only five of the dogs at the shelter are considered medium or small.
Dogs are more likely to end up at the shelter than cats because they are not as discreet about being abandoned. They tend to run into traffic or harass livestock, often resulting in their being brought in by animal control. Dogs are also typically easier to catch than cats, and cats are better than dogs at caring for themselves without human aid.
The shelter is facing other challenges besides the large number of dogs it has on hand. VVHS recently lost two major donors and the income from a trust that ended, resulting in a monthly loss of $10,000. One of the buildings is old and needs continuous repair, and they have also been experiencing pet food price increases.
“Be ambassadors for the mission of the Verde Valley Humane Society,” Redel said. “Let yourself get caught up in the passion of helping these precious souls, the companion pets who depend on humanity to save their lives.”
There are many ways residents can help out, including sharing the shelter’s posts on social media, attending community awareness and fundraising events, volunteering, fostering and giving donations.
“A friend of the Verde Valley Humane Society recently commented to me that one of our shelter dogs had won the lottery because she was adopted into a loving home with plenty of snuggle time, good food, warm bed and warm hearts,” Redel said. “We are thrilled to know that the efforts of all the team help to prepare these precious souls for successful adoption into caring homes with enthusiastic, new families.”
