MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — The shelter that Muskegon County contracts put out a post saying they have reached capacity. No more dogs are accepted. Unfortunately, that’s not unusual because over capacity is the new normal for Pound Buddies.
There is no more room at this animal shelter.
Lana Carson, Pound Buddies director, said, “Thursday, we once again ran out of kennels; we had to call Central Dispatch to let law enforcement know that, unfortunately, there was [sic] no kennels at all that were available."
As soon as one dog leaves, another is waiting to take its place.
“It doesn't matter how many dogs we move out daily or weekly. There's just no shortage of the dogs that are coming in,” said Carson.
She says housing insecurity in the county is causing many people to give up or abandon their dogs, saying, “We even have people right now that are living in their cars. We're supplying them with food and supplies to keep them comfortable and their pets comfortable.”
She says another problem is not having dogs spayed or neutered.
“We've seen an influx in the number of pregnant dogs coming in, litters being dropped off. We just had somebody bring in three puppies that they were the final ones that they couldn't get rid of from an oops litter,” said Carson.
To help ease capacity, Pound Buddies needs more people to foster dogs and puppies in their homes.
Carson said, “Not all animals can adjust to shelter living, especially animals that they've been part of a family and a heart and part of a home. This is extremely stressful.”
If you would like to adopt a dog or become a foster, you can go to Pound Buddies' website.
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