成人X站

At this time of year, animal shelter staff across Washington are gearing up. It鈥檚 the calm before puppy season, as Laura Clark describes it.

However, for her shelter, Whatcom Humane in Bellingham, the puppy rush came early.

Over the last three weeks, four litters have been dropped off at the shelter. The 56 little dogs, most under 14 weeks old, are overwhelming the staff and the shelter, which is already at capacity.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit scary to think about how we鈥檙e going to get through this,鈥� Clark said, as she expects the typical onslaught of puppies to arrive in the spring and into summer as they have for years.

The puppies are mostly kept with their litters, with as many as nine in a kennel. Half of the first litter to come in was sent to a foster family to ease the shelter鈥檚 burden. A mix of rescues鈥攎ost of which lack brick-and-mortar facilities like Whatcom Humane- and foster families are helping Whatcom Humane care for the dogs, though Clark says they鈥檙e feeling the pressure as well.

鈥淚 hear from people every single day in the rescue community that everybody is full, everybody is tired,鈥� Clark said, 鈥淥ur community is really in a crisis.鈥�

Whatcom Humane is always struggling to keep up with animals

Whatcom Humane鈥檚 kennels have been full for close to a year now. As the county鈥檚 animal control agency, it doesn鈥檛 turn away any pet, from surrenders to strays to those taken from animal cruelty cases.

鈥淲hen our kennels are as full as they are, it鈥檚 putting a strain on our financial resources and it鈥檚 putting a strain on our staff to be able to provide the quality care we expect of ourselves and our mission,鈥� Clark said.

The puppies, are adorable as they are, are a frustration to the people who care for them. That鈥檚 not because of any action of their own, but rather a frustration for the owners in the community who do not spay and neuter their pets. Clark says there鈥檚 an overpopulation of pets in Whatcom County and across Western Washington. Without people addressing it, Clark fears there is 鈥渘o end in sight鈥� to the current situation.

鈥淟ow-cost spay and neuter programs are available in most communities. It really is the way to combat pet overpopulation.鈥� Clark said, 鈥淏e the solution in your local community.

She also hopes people will adopt or rescue animals, instead of buying them. All the puppies are on a medical quarantine with the first becoming available for adoption next week.

With so many puppies, Whatcom Humane is allowing people to submit a general application, rather than an application for a specific animal, so people can come in and meet which puppy they鈥檇 like to join their family. More information on adoptions can be found on the shelter鈥檚 website.

Related from MyNorthwest: 2 pets infected with bird flu in Western WA, possibly linked to food products