If you have been thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, the Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is encouraging the community to help by adopting or fostering a dog.
Medium-size and larger dogs are at the top of the list of animals needing homes as DAS is running out of room.
Once enough animals have been adopted or placed in a foster home, the shelter will have more room for the abundance of animals that it could receive in the coming weeks.
In a press release MeLissa Webber, director of DAS, calls the issue a “crisis.” The shelter currently serves more than 375 dogs and has run out of space.
“As an open admission shelter, we can’t stop taking in pets,” Webber says. “Despite our best efforts and most creative solutions, we are now out of options. We need the immediate help of the community to avoid heartbreaking decisions tomorrow.”
A fast-track adoption is in place to decrease the paperwork involved and get animals into homes as quickly as possible. In-person and virtual options are available for those who want to adopt or foster an animal.
The virtual foster process includes an online orientation to be completed at www.BeDallas90.org, followed by a short phone call with a foster team member who will answer questions and match the potential adoptive pet parent to the right pet. Once all paperwork is finalized, in-person or curbside pickup is scheduled.
Those who foster dogs will receive food, bowls, and other necessary supplies to relieve some of the financial burdens. Fostering a dog consists of taking a dog into one’s home for a few days or up to a few weeks; this allows DAS time to make more room to receive additional animals.
For people who are interested in adoption, DAS has temporarily waived the adoption fee. All pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and sent home with a voucher for a free vet visit.
Daily adoptions are available at 1818 North Westmoreland Rd., from 1-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. You can also visit the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center on North Coit Road.