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Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – With over 80 dogs and 120 cats currently housed at the Sangamon County Animal Control and Adoption Center, the shelter is at capacity. SCAC is urging those interested in pet ownership to consider adopting or fostering animals to help ease the overcrowding.
Current Situation
The shelter has been operating at capacity for weeks. Director Jeanne Keenan said the Animal Protective League recently pulled a few dogs to help open up space. Despite that, the shelter is finding it challenging to accommodate new arrivals.
Community Impact
Keenan explained that the shelter is legally required to accept stray animals, which restricts its capacity to take in owner surrenders. To manage this, the shelter maintains an owner surrender list for people who are looking to surrender their animals.
Financial difficulties, relocations, and emergent situations like hospitalizations or the death of an owner are some of the reasons behind the owner surrenders.
Adoption and Fostering
To address the overcrowding, SCAC is encouraging anyone interested in adopting a dog or cat to visit the shelter and meet the animals. Adoption fees are currently subsidized, with cats and kittens available for $25 through the end of the year, thanks to a partnership with Meow Mobile. Dog adoptions are $75, with some dogs having a portion of their fees sponsored by community members.
Fostering is another critical need. By providing temporary homes for animals, fosters help free up space in the shelter and give dogs a break from the kennel environment. Keenan said there are currently around 20 of their animals in foster homes, but more fosters are needed.
How to Help
The community can support SCAC in several ways:
Adopt: Visit the shelter to meet and adopt a pet.
Foster: Provide a temporary home for a dog or cat.
Donate: The shelter is in need of small throw-sized blankets, pet food, and cat litter.
Keenan highlighted the importance of their small food bank in supporting pet owners who might otherwise surrender their animals due to financial hardship. When someone considers surrendering a pet, the shelter works with the owner to understand their needs.
SCAC can sometimes provide donated food to help keep the pet at home until space becomes available, said Keenan. In cases of medical issues, the shelter may be able to offer services or connect the owner with local animal rescues for additional assistance.
Keenan emphasized that keeping an animal in a home environment with the help of donations allows the animal to stay in a home environment.
By adopting, fostering, or donating, community members can significantly impact the lives of these animals and help the shelter manage its capacity crisis.
Sangamon County Animal Control Center
2100 Shale Street
Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: 217-535-3065