At a Glance
- Jurisdiction
- Maricopa County, Arizona
- Date
- 2022-07-12
- Status
- Pending
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control has waived all dog adoption fees through the end of July as its two facilities approach maximum capacity, according to Axios Phoenix. The county held 787 animals across its two shelters as of July 11, 2022, Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Director Michael Mendel confirmed. Mendel, who took the director post earlier in 2022, told Axios Phoenix the situation was the most crowded he had personally observed since assuming the role [1].
The Bissell Pet Foundation is covering adoption fees for all dogs adopted from county shelters through July 31. Adoption fees at the county's facilities typically range from $25 to $300. [1] The fee waiver is part of the foundation's national "Empty the Shelters" campaign, its longest-ever summer event, which sponsored adoption fees from July 11 through July 31 to provide critical relief from overcrowding at participating shelters across the country. [2] Bissell Pet Foundation founder Cathy Bissell noted that euthanasia of homeless dogs rose 22% in the first quarter of 2022 alone, prompting the extended event. [3]
The overcrowding carries direct consequences for the animals housed in the county's kennels. When shelters reach capacity, animals receive less exercise and sometimes share kennel space. Mendel said dogs can remain confined for days at a time when the number of animals exceeds the volunteer capacity to walk them, a condition that can produce behavioral issues and further reduce adoptability. [1] Breed composition compounds the challenge. According to Axios Phoenix, pit bulls account for more than 40% of all dogs held in Maricopa County shelters [1], a figure consistent with national estimates. PetSmart Charities produced an estimate that pit bulls occupied 40% to 45% of U.S. animal shelter kennel space. [4] Shelters nationwide face severe overcrowding driven by high intake rates and owner surrenders, with pit bulls representing a disproportionate share of that population due in part to lower adoption rates. [4]
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is also soliciting foster placements and volunteers to supplement paid staff. The agency operates as one of the nation's largest open-admission shelters. [5] The county operates two full-service animal care centers, one in west Phoenix and one in the east valley, in addition to an everyday adoption center inside a Scottsdale retail location [5]. Residents interested in fostering or volunteering can contact the agency directly through the county's animal services portal.
The July fee waiver represents one in a series of periodic measures the county has deployed in response to recurring capacity pressures. The Maricopa County shelters have initiated similar fee-waiver campaigns in subsequent years, underscoring a pattern of demand that outpaces available kennel space. According to Bissell Pet Foundation, shelters across the country have experienced unprecedented length of stay and slow adoptions, driven by evictions, housing restrictions, a lack of spay and neuter services, staffing shortages, and financial pressures linked to inflation. [2]
References
[1] Axios Phoenix. (2022, July 12). Maricopa County waives dog adoption fees as shelters reach capacity. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2022/07/12/maricopa-county-waives-dog-adoption-fees-shelters-reach-capacity
[2] BISSELL Pet Foundation. (2022, August 10). Record-Setting Number of Pets Find Homes through BISSELL Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters. https://www.bissellpetfoundation.org/news/press-release-empty-the-shelters-summer-2022/
[3] WZZM13. (2022, July 5). BISSELL Pet Foundation's 'Empty the Shelters' kicks off July 11. https://www.wzzm13.com/article/life/pets/adoptions/bissell-pet-foundations-empty-the-shelters-july-11/69-9636ced3-23f7-4c24-81ec-7e8989eb81c8
[4] Animals 24-7. (2024, February 11). Shelter Animals Count: no mention of pit bulls, but data shows the crisis. https://www.animals24-7.org/2024/02/11/shelter-animals-count-no-mention-of-pit-bulls-but-data-shows-the-crisis/
[5] Maricopa County, AZ. (n.d.). Animal Care & Control. https://www.maricopa.gov/5268/Animal-Care-and-Control