The San Diego Humane Society on Saturday is waiving adoption fees on all pets, except for horses, at each of its local campuses in an effort to ease overcrowding.
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Clear the Shelters Day comes as the animal rescue has taken in several large groups of dogs in recent weeks that were relinquished by their owners. On Tuesday, 23 adult Chihuahuas were brought to the Humane Society’s campus in Morena after their owner was evicted from a home in Imperial Beach.
Many of the Chihuahuas have hair loss and missing teeth, and some are fearful and will require specialized care, according to the nonprofit.
The dogs will undergo medical and behavioral evaluations before being made available for adoption.
The 23 dogs were among 103 animals taken in Tuesday by the Humane Society, where capacity was already at 171%, organization officials said.
The shelter is currently housing nearly 1,900 animals. The average length of stay for a dog has increased to 59 days, a 28% jump from last year, officials said.
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“Every adoption creates space for another animal who may have nowhere else to go,” Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, said in a statement. “Our shelters are caring for a remarkable number of animals, and this Saturday is an opportunity for the community to make an immediate, lifesaving difference. If you have been considering adoption, now is the time to meet your new best friend and help us open space for an animal who needs us next.”
The Humane Society has already been offering half-off adoption fees on animals except for horses throughout August, resulting in more than 1,400 pets being adopted as of Monday. All adopted pets are spayed or neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. Adoptable pets can be viewed online at sdhumane.org/adopt.
The organization is also looking for people who can temporarily foster animals, particularly large dogs, to help create kennel space for arriving animals. Foster families are provided with food, supplies, resources and medical care.
The Humane Society has locations in San Diego, El Cajon, Escondido and Oceanside, and will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
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