SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) is asking residents to adopt or foster animals after its shelter reached capacity, with more than 550 animals filling every available kennel.
Krystine Chaffin, an ACS spokesperson, said Friday that the overcrowding is the result of several factors, including the seasonal increase in stray animals, technical rescues following last week’s flooding and recent animal cruelty investigations.
“We have puppies, kittens, cats, dogs, all breeds,” Chaffin said.
Chaffin said the shelter is not housing pets displaced by the recent floods. Instead, ACS officers rescued animals trapped in flooded drainage ditches and rising water, adding to the shelter’s population.
The shelter also took in 30 dogs seized Thursday from a home on La Charca Drive near Cerro Vista as part of an animal cruelty investigation.
“We did everything we possibly could to make sure we reduced euthanasia,” Chaffin said.
Because the dogs are part of an active investigation, they must remain at the shelter while legal proceedings continue, limiting available kennel space for other animals.
ACS is urging the public to help relieve overcrowding by adopting or fostering animals.
“Essentially, we are desperate for our community to step forward,” Chaffin said. “If a pet has been here over 24 hours longer than it needed to, that’s still critical for us.”
The shelter is waiving all adoption fees through Sunday. Adopted pets will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped at no cost, although prospective adopters and foster caregivers must complete the required screening and application process.