Can you adopt or foster a dog? ACCT Philly issues urgent plea due to overcrowded kennels

PHILADELPHIA - An urgent plea from Philadelphia’s only open-intake animal shelter. ACCT Philly says its kennels are beyond full and it needs people to adopt and foster animals to save their lives.

The shelter is so overcrowded it is being forced to euthanize perfectly healthy dogs because they are out of room.

"They just need homes," Executive Director of ACCT Philly, Sarah Barnett stated. "There’s nothing wrong with them. We’re in a crisis now. Healthy and adoptable dogs should not be dying because of a lack of space. That just should not be happening."

And, that’s why ACCT Philly is trying to get the word out, pleading for people to adopt.

Barnett continued, "We’re doing this $10 adoption fee to get the public out and adopt. We’re also trying to make people aware of the contributing factors to maybe help people realize, you know, if you’ve lost a pet, come here and look for them."

In a seven-day period, ACCT Philly took in 139 dogs. Of them, 98 were strays. While some of them were reunited with their families, the majority were not. They had no tags, no ID and now they are on a list to possibly be euthanized which should not happen.

Barnett says more and more people are surrendering their pets because of housing insecurity and money. They just can’t afford them anymore.

"It’s really frustrating. It’s really hard," Barnett explained. "The number one thing I would say to people in a position with a pet where they are struggling or short on money - ask for help sooner than later. We have a Pet Pantry, the PSPCA, PAWS, Philadelphia No-Kill Coalition. They're all organizations that work really hard in addition to us to try to keep people and pets together."

Barnett is also urging folks to spay and neuter their dogs. "If even two percent of Philadelphians would spay and neuter their pets. We'd probably not be - I know we wouldn't be in such a bad situation."

If you can’t adopt\, consider fostering a dog, even if it’s just for a couple of days. ACCT also needs volunteers and donations to give as many pups as possible a fighting chance.