Photo: Tetra Images / Tetra images / Getty Images
Broward County, FL - Broward County’s main animal shelter is sounding the alarm as its facility reaches dangerous levels of overcrowding, prompting an urgent plea to local residents for help.
Broward County Animal Care, the county’s official pet adoption agency, is now housing far more animals than it was designed to accommodate.
The shelter is built to hold 105 dogs but currently has around 150. Its cat capacity of 120 has also been exceeded, with nearly 190 cats on-site.
Despite the overflow, the shelter does not euthanize animals due to space or time.
Public Information Officer Zachary Rinkins said many of the animals come from owner surrenders, often due to changes in housing.
Others are picked up as strays or brought in through animal control cases.
Each dog and cat is fully vetted, vaccinated, sterilized, and microchipped, before being made available for adoption.
Rinkins emphasized the importance of finding homes, especially for long-term residents who have spent extended time in the shelter.
“They need enrichment, human interaction, and a fresh start,” he said.
To help ease the crisis, the shelter is offering no-cost adoptions to Broward County residents.
While adoption is free, pet owners must still pay a county tag fee between $25 and $55 depending on microchipping.
Some dogs also qualify for additional benefits through The Pet Project, which provides free food and annual wellness exams.
Broward County Animal Care is actively encouraging residents to adopt, foster, or volunteer to support the animals in need.
More information is available on the shelter’s official website.