Sonoma County Animal Shelter struggling with too many dogs

What officials describe as a “perfect storm” has left the Sonoma County Animal Shelter with more dogs than it has space for.

The Santa Rosa shelter, which has room for 118 dogs in its kennels, is currently trying to make space for over 180 dogs, 46 of which are puppies.

The shelter is now forced to divide kennels in two and house crated dogs in their multipurpose room in order to create enough space for all the animals, according to Shelter Director Brian Whipple. The situation, he said, is unprecedented.

“Our population is extremely high at the moment,” Whipple said. “In my 10 years of being here, I have never seen the kennels this full.”

There are a number of factors contributing to the shelter’s overpopulation.

After the stay-at-home orders for COVID-19 ended in 2021, the shelter saw an influx of young dogs, according to Whipple, and it has been a challenge finding suitable owners for them.

“They’re at the 3 to 4-year-old mark, they’ve had barely any socialization, they have hardly any training of any sort, and so they are more difficult to adopt,” said Whipple.

Combine the age and disposition of the dogs with their specific breeds, and you’ve got some of the most high-maintenance, difficult-to-adopt pups on the market.

“We’ve seen a huge influx of huskies and shepherds,” said Whipple. “Why that is we don’t know, but that has been the bulk of our population for some time now.”

These breeds are hard to find a home for, given their size and energy level. The longest resident at the shelter, until recently, was Princess, a young German shepherd mix who was there for 644 days.

As for how the dogs arrive at the shelter, Whipple said that they are a mix of owner surrenders and strays.

“Our top two reasons why animals are surrendered … are lack of affordable housing that accepts pets or medical issues that they can’t afford to treat,” said Whipple.

However, more of the incoming dogs are strays, according to Whipple.

“We’ve actually had to put a hold on taking owner surrenders because of our population being so high,” Whipple said.

As the contracted animal service provider for the county, the shelter has no choice but to accept all other animals that come its way, according to Whipple, including animals from suspected cruelty investigations.

One such investigation impacting shelter numbers involves more than 100 animals. That case is now in the hands of the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.

The crowding is putting a tremendous amount of pressure on staff, according to Whipple.

“It’s a tough situation. Everyone has such care for the animals that come through our doors. It’s extremely stressful,” said Whipple. “It’s loud in the kennels, it’s a lot of work. And it can take a toll on the staff, without question. I think everybody is feeling the pinch of that at this point.”

In order to get the situation under control, shelter staff are encouraging community members to adopt or foster animals.

Besides dogs, other animals available for adoption include rabbits, chickens, even a pigeon.

“If anybody has the time or the opportunity to open up their homes to a foster situation, that would be absolutely wonderful,” said Whipple.

In fostering, the Sonoma County Animal Shelter provides everything the animal needs, including food, dog beds and veterinary care. Would-be foster families may apply online at pdne.ws/49MzukO.

Adoption is a more lengthy process and involves fees. Find out more about adoption on the shelter’s website at pdne.ws/47o4Z3r.