Humane Society bulges at seams as social conditions sends strays skyrocketing
So many animals, so little room. The Oshkosh Area Humane Society is at capacity. As of November 10, the organization held 224 cats, 35 dogs, and 14 small mammals. Beyond the natural dejection from this unfortunate situation, those who work and volunteer there are suffocated with numerous issues such as the increased necessity for resources like food, litter, and veterinary needs. One dog advancement coordinator at OAHS, Jennifer O., has recognized where this overflow may have stemmed from.
“We have seen an unprecedented influx of unclaimed strays,” she said. “Animals are coming in and not getting redeemed at the rate that they normally do.”
On the other side of the shelter, foster coordinator and cat adoption counselor Nikita T. has witnessed the conjoint problems from the plethora of animals.
“It’s a combination of the amount of animals that we can serve and the amount of animals that are in need right now,” she said.
Another major factor is the state of the economy. Inflation, rent, food, and veterinary costs rose, putting strain on pet owners and discouraging adoption.
“There are a lot of evictions, and a lot of people turning their animals loose,” Nikita said. “The economy is pretty rough right now, and it’s a lot of responsibility for people to take animals right now.”
Many renters have pet deposits, causing their rent to become higher than the original cost. This is a big reason why it is so hard for Jennifer to convince people to adopt dogs.
“Most rentals no longer allow large breed dogs or breeds of certain looks,” Jennifer said. “They deem them ‘aggressive breeds’ for insurance purposes, even though that’s not really correct. Very few rentals allow large breed dogs that are mostly filling up shelters. Even if people want to adopt, if they rent, a lot of them cannot have a dog like we have here.”
According to Leah R., another dog advancement coordinator, pitbulls and rottweilers are two of the many breeds that aren’t allowed in most rentals, due to their stereotypical aggressive nature.
“They have weight restrictions and a lot of the time some rentals don’t allow puppies,” she said. “They have to be at least a year old.”
This causes those looking to adopt animals to look for other animals, favor specific breeds, or not adopt at all.
“The pet deposit is too much for them to afford, or the monthly pet fee that’s added onto their rent is too much to afford,” Jennifer said.
While restrictions on dog ownership in certain housing situations have driven a rise in the number of dogs at the OAHS, cats are also prevalent at the shelter, especially found as strays. People tend to just let their cats out and run straight to Nakita.
“I think there’s a lot of stigma for surrendering an animal,” she said. “They think that when they bring an animal to a shelter that it’s going to be like a pound, where they’re locked up in little cages and there’s an expiration date on their time of stay. We’re very different. We don’t have length of stay terms; we always do what’s in the best benefit of that animal in particular.”
Diane G., who has had extensive work with dogs, particularly those identified as “less adaptable,” believes that animals are often surrendered because owners do not realize the full breadth of the responsibilities they assume when getting a pet. Her 30 years of experience at OAHS had deepened her understanding of all species.
“I think a lot of people are getting dogs as cute puppies,” she said. “They get it on a whim, put it in a crate and they work eight to 10 hours a day. So then when it does get out it’s jumpy and wild. It’s a vicious circle—they need exercise to calm down but they don’t have the time to give them exercise.”
In the midst of an influx of homeless animals, more help is needed to upkeep the OAHS and provide the animals with needed support. There are many ways that community members looking to help the shelter’s animals can get involved.
“There is always the option for fostering,” Nikita said. “There is also the ability to come help and volunteer, where you can help socialize the animals, and help them get prepared for their next home. We also have our much-needed items on the wishlist that can help sustain the population we have.”
There are many ways that the community can volunteer at the shelter, according to Leah.
“If people are not comfortable with working with an animal, there are other things the shelter can use,” she said. “They can help with laundry. Our volunteer coordinator is working on coming up with more ideas to involve people who want to help but can’t volunteer with animals.”
Not training or exposing animals can cause them a lot of stress and anxiety, so the shelter does extensive work to make sure animals are adaptable to home settings. Dedicated volunteers are crucial to efforts like OAHS’s shy cat program, and the shelter is always looking for more volunteers.
Diane has found volunteering to be therapeutic and gratifying, a feeling many volunteers through the shelter also experience.
“I recommend it to anybody. It’s very rewarding,” she said. “It’s the only place I can go that I’m walking a dog and I’m in the now, I’m in the present. I’m not worried about anything else. I’m here with the dog helping him or her.”
Nikita appreciates all help, including just spreading the word about adoption. This can offer the critical nudge that convinces families to come to the shelter and adopt an animal.
“They’ve had it in the back of their heads for probably the last year, ‘You know, I think I’m ready for another animal,’” she said. “Just seeing that we are actually in need is inspiring people to come out of their way and come up from Milwaukee to come visit with us, and I think that’s great.”
by Sofia Crowley
Published December 2nd, 2024
Oshkosh West Index Volume 121 Issue III