05/30/2026
Every day, people bring animals to us because we have a shared goal of helping animals. We wanted to take a moment to share a little more about what things looks like behind the scenes here at the shelter.
Right now, we are caring for HUNDREDS of animals between the shelter and foster homes, with over 150 pets currently in foster care alone (the majority being kittens). This time of year is incredibly busy, and we know it can be frustrating when you find an animal that needs help and we aren’t always able to immediately take them in.
The truth is: we never WANT to turn animals away.
But in order to properly care for the animals already depending on us, we have to work within something called “Capacity for Care.” That means we have to consider available kennel space, staffing, medical cases, foster availability, and the resources needed to properly and compassionately care for every animal already in our program.
Especially during kitten season, we often have to triage cats and kittens based on medical need. Many kittens this time of year have URI (upper respiratory infections), basically a kitty cold that can cause goopy eyes or sneezing. While they may look very sick, bringing mildly ill cats/kittens into an already crowded shelter environment can sometimes make them even sicker due to stress and exposure. When we are over capacity, we sometimes have to reserve space for the most critical cases first.
Another huge piece of the puzzle is foster care. We can only help as many kittens as we have foster homes and support capacity for. Right now, one foster coordinator is helping manage over 150 foster pets including, coordinating placements, medical care, vaccines, supplies, questions, and emergencies every single day.
We know people bring animals to us because you care. Please know, we care too. Deeply. Every single day our staff and volunteers are doing everything possible to help as many animals as we safely and responsibly can.
Here are some of the BEST ways the community can help right now:
🐾 Become a foster
🐾 Participate in our Foster to Family program if you find kittens
🐾 Share lost/found pet posts so animals get home faster
🐾 Check with neighbors & post on social media before bringing in lost dogs
🐾 Leave healthy outdoor cats alone unless they appear injured or in distress
🐾 Help pets stay out of the shelter system when possible by exploring rehoming options within your trusted community first
🐾 Reach out for resources or visit our website! Even if we can’t intake, we are always happy to try to help guide you
One of the biggest ways we are able to remain a high-save shelter is by maintaining humane Capacity for Care standards. That means not overcrowding animals or stretching beyond what we can responsibly manage.
Thank you for continuing to support the animals, and the people behind the scenes doing this work every day. ❤️
