Richmond Animal Care and Control has reached critical capacity levels and is running out of space for the animals. Credit: 8News
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) is grappling with the pressing issue of overcrowding as the influx of stray animals continues to outpace their capacity.
The shelter, which has has a no-kill policy and maintains the responsibility of taking in the city’s stray animals, is issuing urgent appeals for adoptions to alleviate the strain on resources and prevent difficult decisions.
Since the beginning of the year, Richmond’s shelter has been inundated with an average of over 60 animals per week, causing them to reach almost 1,300 animals total for this year, with stray kennels consistently at maximum capacity.
As summer approaches, the situation is exacerbated, with kennels filling up faster than they can be emptied. Robin Young, RACC’s outreach coordinator, highlighted the fluctuating nature of the shelter’s intake.
“Today’s a good day, tomorrow we could be full. That’s been our process all year – we fill up, we have some adoptions, we have some reclaims from owners and then we’ll have a few days of a break, relief and then we tend to fill up again,” Young said.
Strays admitted to the shelter stay between six to 11 days, contributing to the persistent overcrowding. Recently, a collaboration with a local roofing company saw adoption fees waived temporarily, providing some relief before numbers surged again.
Despite the challenges, RACC is actively promoting adoption and fostering programs, including regular specials and virtual events, to encourage the community to provide homes for these animals.
Furthermore, RACC urges pet owners to chip and tag their animals to facilitate swift reunification in case of separation, thereby freeing up space for animals in need.
“There are so many ways to help us move animals out of the shelter environment and into homes,” Young said.