FORT WORTH, Texas — The City of Fort Worth is urging residents to adopt or foster pets after its two municipal animal shelters exceeded capacity, forcing staff to house some animals in temporary outdoor enclosures.
City officials said both shelters are full and cannot accommodate additional animals as pet surrenders and stray intakes continue to rise.
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control currently has 371 animals in its care, well above its sustainable capacity of about 250 animals, according to Superintendent Melanie Pena.
Pena said June typically brings an increase in pet surrenders and stray animals, but recent intake levels have exceeded the shelters’ capacity.
The city is offering adoption and foster opportunities to help reduce the number of animals in its care. Officials said fostering an animal for one to two weeks can ease overcrowding, and the city provides food and supplies to foster volunteers.
Pena said the greatest need is for adopters of small- to medium-sized dogs.
She added that all animals available for adoption have been spayed or neutered and that residents do not have to live in Fort Worth to adopt or foster a pet.
