By Jacob Punch
Spring and summer are puppy and kitten season, which is a problem for the already overcrowded San Marcos Animal Shelter. This overcrowding leads to more homeless pets that negatively impact native wildlife populations.
The San Marcos Animal Shelter is the intake facility for all unhoused animals in Hays County, and according to Minnie Buckhaults, a seven-year veteran of animal shelters who currently works at the San Marcos Animal Shelter, has “been at capacity since March of 2022.” This overcrowding leads to more shelter deaths and homeless pets in San Marcos who weren’t made to live in the wild and therefore suffer, as well as have a negative impact on songbirds, small mammals, amphibians, and other native wildlife populations, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This is happening because some who can no longer/ no longer want to take care of pets release them into the city, many potential pet owners prefer buying animals over adopting those in overcrowded shelters, and the constant stream of stray canine and feline litters. This issue will only get worse as it is “kitten and puppy season,” also known as feline/ canine breeding season, which occurs every year from March through October, according to the city of San Marcos’ official website, and results in a large uptick in the amount of canine and feline litters being born.
Roughly 6.5 million animals enter American animal shelters each year, however, only 3.2 million are adopted according to The Zebra. This means over half of all pets taken into animal shelters will stay or die there. These numbers help explain why the San Marcos Animal Shelter has been at capacity for over two years, which in turn causes more pet homelessness due to the lack of space for more strays to be taken in. This overcrowding also leads to more animal deaths, which Texas has the most of in the United States, with over 60,000 killed in animal shelters in Texas alone, according to Reform Austin. The reasons for these deaths are lack of funding and food shortages, both caused by the overcrowding of these shelters, which leads to many animals who would otherwise find housing in the shelter being put down. This gets worse during puppy and kitten season as in San Marcos there are three times as many animal euthanasias in shelters in July than in February, according to the City of San Marcos website.
One group trying to help is PALS Central Texas. Prevent A Litter of Central Texas, better known as PALS, strives to “help prevent animal homelessness by providing free and low-cost spay and neuter services,” according to their President and Clinic Coordinator Lauren Foye. Spaying and neutering are the practices of safely removing an animal’s reproductive organs to prevent further litters, which PALS give to those trying to spay/ neuter their pet as well as in Trap-Neuter-Return situations, better known as TNR, the trapping of stray pets and spaying/ neutering them. PALS offers these at low/no-cost and TNR to lower the number of animals on the street with the goal of ending pet overpopulation and homelessness.
One can help solve this issue in a few ways, such as donating to either their local shelter, PALS chapter, or other spay/ neuter service, volunteering at one of the previously mentioned locations, or fostering/ adopting a pet from a shelter. Adopting or fostering a shelter animal can help open more space at the shelter which can lead to the housing and adoption of more homeless pets. College Senior John Alex says adopting a pet has “added a lot to his college life,” such as a routine and companionship, which he feels aids in his mental health. Corkill was a fan of the process he went through to adopt his cat, Kiki, stating “I liked that there were enough vetting steps to make sure you’re the right person … the people that wanted to get a pet could get them but at the same time I like the measures in place to make sure not just anyone can put an animals life at risk on a whim.” This shows that shelters, while looking for adopters, are also ensuring these pets go to good homes, increasing the odds they won’t end up back on the streets. To assist in curbing animal homelessness in San Marcos one can volunteer or donate to PALS Central Texas or the San Marcos Animal Shelter, where one can also adopt or foster an animal.
These two dogs share their living space since the shelter is at capacity. (Photo credit: Jacob Punch)
