Animal surrenders up, donations down at Johnson County Animal Shelter

Dogs and cats have overpopulated at the Johnson County Animal Shelter, causing employees to share their office spaces with them. Though a new addition that partially opened this week is providing relief, with every new neighborhood built in Johnson County, comes the potential for even more surrendered animals.

The problem is two-pronged for the animal shelter. As animal intake has gone up, donations have also fallen. Last year the shelter took in only $33,897, whereas some years donations have been closer to $50,000.

Nearly halfway into the year, the shelter has received $4,377 in donations, prompting Cari Klotzsche, animal shelter director, to ask the Johnson County Council last week to appropriate $30,000 to make up the donation shortfall.

The money was allocated for medical care expenses, as each animal needs some type of care when it comes to shelter, sometimes just shots, other times expensive surgeries.

Surrender trend

Though she doesn’t like the blame the uptick in animals at the shelter on the pandemic, Klotzsche said it is at least somewhat to blame. However, there are many factors that go into the decision to surrender a pet, she said.

Starting in January 2022, the shelter has seen a sharp uptick in animal surrenders of all kinds, but especially surrenders of puppies and dogs under two years old. At the same time, animals have not moved out of the shelter to area rescues and local homes as fast as they have in the past, she said.

“The main thing is that dogs aren’t going home. They’re not being adopted and people are not coming to claim their dogs,” Klotzsche said. “So we’re getting strays in and no one’s coming to pick them up.”

In 2021, the shelter took in 1,771 animals, but in 2022 they took in 2,365 animals, which is a much higher volume than officials had seen before, data shows. During the same period, the average stay of an animal increased from seven days to 21 days, Klotzsche said.

So far this year, the shelter has taken in 190 owner-surrendered pets and took in 398 in all of 2022.

Johnson County is not alone in this problem, Klotzsche said shelters and rescues all over the state are seeing the same issues.

What’s behind the trend

The reasons for surrendering are many and varied. Pets have come in because their owners are escaping domestic violence and can’t take their pet to the shelter with them; because they’re moving into a pet-free apartment complex; because of behavior problems; because animals in the household don’t get along; because owners don’t have time or money to care for their pet anymore, and many other reasons, Klotzsche said.

There’s no one reason for the uptick, but shelter officials are trying their best to counter it.

“I don’t know if it’s economics where we’re at that point in the world where people can’t afford. I don’t know if it’s because people see animals as disposable,” Klotzsche said. “I wish I had the answer because then I could fix it. All I know is that the shelter is just inundated with pets all the time.”

People also sometimes don’t research breeds before buying, which leads to a mismatch in lifestyle between humans and pets. This is likely a reason for the uptick in high-energy dog breed surrenders such as Siberian Huskies and German Shepherds, Klotzsche said.

Adding to the problem, shelter officials learned Marion County’s animal shelter is no longer taking in animals found in Marion County by non-county residents. As a result, the Johnson County shelter has taken in animals found by Johnson County residents in Marion County when Marion County’s shelter refused to take them in, Klotzsche said.

Three dogs that were found by local residents in Marion County were housed in the shelter as of Monday.

Countering the trend

With the sustained high number of surrenders, the shelter started a surrender waitlist in May. The goal of the list is to help people find placement for their pets before bringing their pets to the shelter, Klotzsche said.

There are currently 19 pets on the waitlist.

People who have emergencies can still surrender a pet right away. However, people who don’t have an emergency or are willing to try to rehome their pet are now added to the waitlist.

“If you need to surrender your animal and it’s an emergency, then we take it in right away. However, the likelihood of your animal or another animal — because we don’t have any empty kennels — being euthanized is way up,” Klotzsche said. “So you’re having to pay a steep fee to surrender your animal. You’re paying the surrender fee plus you’re paying the euthanasia fee.”

It is the shelter’s goal to give all pets that come in a new, loving home, however, the reality is that’s getting harder to do. So far, the shelter hasn’t had to euthanize any pets for lack of space, but the risk is always there, Klotzsche said.

In 2020 and 2021, 9% of animals that came through the shelter were put down for health reasons or aggression. In 2022, that increased slightly to 10%.

So far this year, 92 of the 1,187 animals taken in have been euthanized for health reasons or aggression, with 16 of those being for aggression, Klotzsche said.

Stemming the tide

Rehoming animals instead of surrendering or letting them lose is one the most impactful ways county residents can help the shelter, Klotzsche said.

“If you’re looking to rehome your pet, try to let us know ahead of time. Don’t call us the day you have to move out of your apartment,” Klotzsche said. “Let us know in advance so we can give you resources on trying to find a good home so your pet doesn’t have to go to a shelter. Craigslist is not a good option.”

Shelter officials advise people to post their pets on adoption sites, or ask friends and family members if they could take it in. Many people have also taken to local Facebook groups in an effort to rehome their pets.

One option is the pet-matching website GetYourPet.com, where people who want a pet can seek one, and people who have a pet they want to rehome can post a profile for it.

Klotzsche also says the shelter tries to give pet owners strategies and resources to fix behavior issues that can be fixed. For example, if a cat or dog animal is peeing on things it isn’t supposed to, it could have a UTI that can be fixed with vet care, she said.

“If there’s something we can do, education-wise or training-wise, we will,” Klotzsche said. “If not, you still can’t keep it and you can’t find anyone, we want to be the last resort.”

People should also make sure to spay or neuter their pets to avoid having to rehome kittens and puppies.

The shelter’s future

The shelter’s ARPA-funded $1.2 million new addition is providing some relief now, as it is partially complete. So far, six new dog kennels are ready for occupancy and cats have moved into their expanded area.

With the full expansion comes 14 new dog kennels, an expansion for the cat area, medical exam rooms, a larger meeting room for families and adoptable pets, a reception area and new outdoor dog runs.

“The expansion is very helpful, but it doesn’t change the fact that we needed the expansion because animals just keep flowing in,” Klotzsche said.

The local shelter population problem is compounded by human population growth all over the county. With every new neighborhood comes additional pets that could someday come into the animal shelter’s care.

“With every addition that is built, you have to figure — they say 90% of homes have animals — so 90% of those homes that you build you have to expect animals,” Klotzsche said. “And with that come unwanted litters, it comes dogs getting out, bite quarantines going up.”

HOW TO HELP

Johnson County Animal Shelter is down on donations and needs the public’s help to care for animals until they find a new home.

Needed items: New or used blankets (no quilts or comforters with stuffing), new or used towels, Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent, and canned food for cats and dogs. Can also give money or gift cards to local stores that sell needed items.

Wish List: Needed items are posted at Facebook.com/JohnsonCountyShelter and the shelter’s Amazon wishlist at a.co/72K7DoE.

Volunteering: The shelter needs volunteers to do a variety of things including playing with cats, walking dogs, cleaning, doing laundry, and washing dishes.

Location: 2160 N. Graham Rd, Franklin.

Contact: 317-736-3924; [email protected]