The Brownsville Animal Regulation & Care Center is asking for help from the community to save more than 300 pets, who will be euthanized if they are not adopted.
Adoption Specialist Monica Llanas expressed that there is a critical state at the shelter with students going to back-to-school, there was a clear decrease of adoptions.
“We have more upcoming pets, ” Llanas said. Sometimes we are in a position when we have to euthanize some of them [pets], even though it seems sad, even if we don’t want to do it. Like is something we have to do because we have many pets.”
Lead Veterinarian Dr. Logan McAllister said that the shelter is in a full capacity mode, and that there is a great variety of animals with amazing behavioral selection too.
“We have a lot of amazing animals here at the shelter,” McAllister said. “We have a huge variety. We have a great behavioral selection, and we have a really good population that are looking for their forever loving home.
Fiscal Clerk Rosaura Cedillo explains that expenses are getting higher since the population of pets is increasing and there is a need to provide more health care to the pets.
“It’s getting very expensive,” Cedillo said. “The more time that the animals spend here at the shelter, there is more resources that are getting to these animals, there are being taken care of.”
Deputy Director of Animal Services Antonio Caldwell expressed that adoptions across the nation are down, every shelter is running out of capacity. There are budget limitations and that donations are key to continue with the care of the sheltered pets.
“That is why it is so important that our communities stay engaged and step up and help us save as many lives as possible.” Caldwell said.
Mc Allister expressed that for months now, there had not been any cases of animal diseases like parvo or distemper in the shelter, due to the great staff that shelter has.
“The staff had worked very diligently, very hard these past couple months, to make sure that all of the protocols we put into place a couple months ago we put in place a couple months ago are getting followed.” She spoke.
Llanas explained the adoption process and that the only requirement is an ID. The normal fee for adoption is $99, however they are waiving the fee for dogs, and for cats is 50% off. The fee covers all appropriate age vaccinations and medications, flea, and tick prevention, sterilization and deworming.
“We have a page it’s called 24PetConnect, that’s where the whole process could start, she said. “You can go to the page and see all the animals that we have. Whether you are interested in a cat or a dog, or you are just looking for a pet in general everything’s there and then they can come into the shelter and actually get to meet them.”
Cedillo explained that there is more that the community can do for the shelter.
“The community can do donations and it doesn’t have to be money, ” she said. “It could be bringing in, used towels, snacks, they could bring soap, they could bring in all sorts of items that the animals will be able to use, and we can use here at the shelter as well.”
Caldwell explains that time is an important resource and that volunteers will be well-received.
“Someone can come and volunteer, that’s immensely helpful for us here at the shelter as well.” He said.
Cedillo said that fostering a pet is extremely helpful, even if it is for a couple weeks, having them at home can help reveal their personality, and then help with the promotion of the pet on their social media to get them adopted.
A total of 320 pets are available for adoption, of which 166 are dogs and the rest are cats.
Cedillo explained the importance of adoption is that with the process of acquiring a pet you can save a life.
“We don’t have to go to an extreme to make that decision to put them down just for space, that’s the importance of adopting.”
Caldwell remarked on the importance of adopting and the benefits for mental health.
“If you are suffering from any type of anxiety any sort of, you know, mental health, if you need a companion there are so many incredible benefits of having an animal in your life.” Caldwell said. “So, I encourage everyone to at least foster. Give it a try or a few days for a week and see what type of impact that makes in your life and then you ultimately adopt.”
He said that promotion is key to get the community engaged in adoption with pop-up events. Whether you can find them on the farmer’s market or in their current project with local libraries.
They are currently working to get a grant for the acquisition of a mobile adoption unit, to promote and enhance the community.
Caldwell invites the vaqueros and the community to “A toast to tails gala” at 6 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Brownsville Events Center for information visit atoasttotails.eventbrite.com
To know more about the services that the Brownsville Animal Regulation & Care Center has visit Brownsville.tx.gov/BARCC
This is Fernanda Gonzalez for Vaquero Radio.
