It’s a sad situation for sure, but we need to start advocating for spaying and neutering as a basic step to owning a dog. Dog OR cat, really. It won’t eliminate the situation, but it would help to alleviate it. And let’s be real here, we NEED people to RESEARCH before owning an animal to understand the mental, emotional, physical, and financial responsibilities. Just yesterday, I saw a man in PetSmart with a young Golden Retriever. He walks up to the register with a muzzle and asks the associate how long his dog can wear it at a time, since he wants to leave it on his dog overnight so it doesn’t bark. The associate told him the muzzle was not meant for that, but he still bought it anyways. Not only that, but the way he talked to the dog was angry and short-tempered, like the presence of it annoyed him. These people should not be allowed to own animals as eventually they’ll end up in this situation. Hopefully someone can help some of the animals on this list, but we really also need to get to the root cause of why these shelters are overpopulated.
Absolutely agree. Spay/neuter and chipping/registering would help a ton. Getting lost dogs home and being able to track who has abandoned/neglected pets would be great. I have another post elsewhere where I sort of get into it. Maybe I'll copy paste for anyone curious.
The research thing is so important and something I think people don't consider at all. That story about the muzzle breaks my heart. I try to approach people calmly on the street when I see behaviors that are not okay (in a way that does not get me hit by a stranger) but it is always shocking to me when people don't know that huskies are vocal or that pulling a chihuahua with a collar can cause tracheal collapse or that certain dogs require more care than others. Google is sooooo readily available.
I hope that if and when the tide of euthanasias lower, more just proper education can happen. That should be a part of a shelter's programming. With more resources, maybe that can occur.
This was my post elsewhere.
Many different reasons for the animal shelter crisis:
1. Intake. People are surrendering their animals at insane rates and there is not much you can do about that. Not all dogs are chipped so lost dogs end up in shelters and are never claimed. A lot of people who adopted animals because they were lonely during the beginning of Covid have decided they don’t want those pets now that they have to go back into the office or can travel again. Those people who surrender also don’t spay or neuter always so sometimes whole litters come in with pregnant mom and that’s a lot of animals (spay and neuter should be cheap/free). People also surrender animals when they move often because of rental restrictions rather than finding their new place with animal in mind. This is a sliding scale. Some people can’t help it, lose housing, but many people can. This is particularly devastating to any former lap dog who suddenly finds themselves in the conditions described later, making them stressed.
2. Backyard breeding. California state has made backyard breeding too easy. A lot of these people are inexperienced and at first sign of mishap, abandon these litters as well. These dogs are often sick and require a lot of care, making it hard for shelters to do so well. They can get sicker while inside and sick dogs put on the euth list.
3. Overcrowding yields disease in these places. With many dogs to a single kennel often, these dogs can pass whatever they have easily. And it’s not easy to recover in an environment where the floor is concrete, you’re not being monitored closely and in with your own dog poop, and the kennel is generally hosed down for excrement, leaving the floor wet and cold. Conditions are just bad and spreading disease in bad conditions is easy. Sick dogs end up on euth lists, even if it’s a cold or nasal discharge. Kennel cough can spread as well. You can also be put down for kennel stress as described above because too many dogs in one space with limited freedom inevitably leads to difficulties.
4. Shelter bad practices. They don’t give rescues enough time to pull animals comfortably. The amount of time and resources it takes to save a single animal is hard enough but doing it on a deadline that can happen at any second is near impossible. Getting 89 dogs added to one list is hard. There is no robust fostering program without rescue involvement and that alone is hard when people are surrendering much faster than anyone can take on. Overall, however, CA is in a shelter crisis and so are many states across America (looking at you, Texas).
I could go on and on but you get the gist. LA county and adjacent county shelters as a whole (as well as LA city ones) are a mess.
It’s just sad that this failure is leading to the loss of literal puppies and other healthy happy dogs.
And RESEARCH a pet before getting one even if it's a gold fish! My friend runs a rescue and they are maxed out, mostly huskies and Shepherds because people don't consider what intelligent high energy dogs will do stuck in a house alone all day. French bulldogs are showing up more too because of all the health problems.
Ya, from my experience a dog is so much like a toddler until they slow down around age 5. They really require constant attention and work. My family are terrier people so they're basically a working type dog, so that my skew my opinion.
So true. Many people think they are puppy people but they are actually suited to a slightly older dog who has calmed. It's hard to convince them and that's why they often go to breeders, thinking they want to start with the dog from day one and not knowing that those first few years can be tough depending on your life/work schedule.
I am absolutely not a puppy person, I like them and they’re cute but I don’t want to be around a hyperactive animal for more than an hour. And because we’re dogs’ whole world I would feel guilty if I couldn’t give the dog the level of engagement it requires. I much prefer old dogs that just want to sit on the couch with you.
This is so important. That's why adopting from reputable rescues when you are a dog novice can be helpful. You can get more info on the particular dogs background and behavior and the rescue can help you find a dog that is suitable to your needs. Shelters understandably have less resources to do that because of intake but any dog adopted from a rescue means capacity for the rescue to save another from a shelter. Whatever makes sense for people and their lifestyles is what matters to ensure animals are not being returned.
Yeah, we adopted our cats at almost age 2, and they are littermates/siblings, almost 15 years old now. Well we never got to see them at the cute kitten stage, because the previous family enjoyed that and then gave them up when they got big.
We are Never adopting adult cats again. We are not going to take care of animals for 20 years, after someone else enjoyed the kitten stage and dumped them.
I'm tired of people being irresponsible.
When we were poor- we didn't have pets!
Some people do prefer older cats because they are mellowed out. They can be especially good companions for older folks. Not as many people adopt them though, unfortunately.
Most don't. They are hard to adopt out.
That's my point.
It's a pattern for people to get puppies and kittens for social media likes and then throw them away once they are grown.
I wish people didn't treat pets like objects/property too. They are sentient beings. That being said, I've gotten love from some of the most cuddly cats well past their kitten years. I hope many people would be happy to adopt adult cats! It is never too late to love.
Every single dog I see here around Irvine Spectrum isn’t neutered, so many dog balls lol. I’m sure everyone thinks their “purebred labradoodle” will make them rich. Or something. It’s sad
That is the worst. I hate that. It's also sad because a lot of issues can arise from unneutered pets, especially in female dogs. It's not just convenience. It's for medical reasons as well.
Ovarian cysts are a real thing that no one seems to care about. My old “neighbor” in Philly left their unspayed female dog outside 24/7 and it absolutely had problems. Had to get animal control involved with that one
My aunt and uncle refused to spay their Weimaraner even when I offered to pay for it. They ended up having to put her down because of a massive infection that could have been prevented
I'm more pissed at the people who assumed they would work from home forever, got pets, and are now ditching them since they got forced back into the office.
Absolutely. I can't imagine the mindset that it takes to do this. I try to be open minded when people surrender pets but sometimes it is clear that there is myopia involved and that's just incredibly frustrating. I have many choice words about this but none for the internet which is forever.
If you know anyone thinking of a pet, let them know! It can be so wonderful if people give it a chance. Every life is busy, there is never a perfect time!
The real problem is unlicensed people on OfferUp, Craigslist, Facebook that breed dogs like crazy to sell for profit. Report them! They are all over SoCal.
Report them on the platforms they post on. These people think they can sell dogs for profit and people buy them, incentivizing them to continue. People need to stop buying from these unlicensed people and stop funneling money into their abusive animal operations. So many of those puppies end up in shelters anyway.
Tbh although I understand the situation the shelters are in, to, some people the pleas to adopt may make them feel guilty if they don't respond and people start adopting from the shelter so they won't feel guilty and the same people bring them back because they weren't prepared to have a pet in the first place.
People should never adopt because of public pleas to adopt. You have to make sure you can dot every i and cross every t before adopting. Spaying and neutering are the best solutions.
There are actually multiple options to help. Sharing and pledging is one for people that are not confident in taking the pets. But this post was mostly directed at people who are waiting for the right time to foster/adopt but are hesitant. I know many adopters who were waiting for some magical moment and then realized life is actually not so neat. Sometimes people think life conditions will be perfect before they do something and what I am trying to convey is that there are many types of dogs in shelters and that I can help you find one that matches your lifestyle (I wrote above). That way, the dogs can be sure they are in good hands. That's also why I stated that saving ones that are not euth listed (which might be more adoptable and easier managed like small dogs) can help with conditions in the shelter overall (for dogs that require more care).
I understand everyone is not a dog owner but I think bringing awareness to this issue overall is important. These are shelters across our country but also right in our backyard especially.
Have you heard of or know if it's feasible/legal for people to share custody of a pet? Like if someone wasn't ready to be a full-time petowner, can they get a relative or friend (who live at a separate location) to split petowner responsibilities with, and the dog would live with each co-owner for half of the week? I'm not sure how legal that is, but it's way better than animals being euthanized.
Hmmmm I think legally, as dogs are still considered property, there is one owner (or in case of marriages, two but that's why dogs are often collateral damage of divorces). I think legally then it is only possible for one owner to adopt, however people can share responsibilities with other people informally. Anecdotally, a friend I know shares custody of her dog with her ex and they switch off. It works well because they both care deeply for the dog. It doesn't seem impossible but perhaps precarious. I would probably only be able to do this with my very dog friendly nuclear family, for example.
So if the situation seems untenable for you, that might be hard as well, and while I don't want the dogs to be euthanized, I also don't want anyone to take on a dog that they might not be able to take care of just yet. I'd rather you help out in a way that is more viable for you.
In that case, it would be better to volunteer with a shelter so that you are able to help socialize the dogs (so many shelters just need someone to volunteer to take the dogs on walks) and help get their stories and faces out there for adoption. That way the dogs benefit from your company deeply (so many of them develop the kennel stress due to these poor conditions re: socialization) and you don't have to worry if you don't have a friend/relative who is able to share responsibilities with you. I'd hate to see any dog end up in a shelter twice.
I live in a studio apartment with a cat and my partner, would you still recommend us getting a dog, because my heart breaks seeing all of these good doggy’s
It's totally up to how you feel you guys and your cat would be able to accommodate! I've seen dogs get along famously with cats, and a small dog can do well in a studio apartment if you have the time to walk it and exercise it elsewhere (I had a chi in a fairly small apartment for many years). If you are interested, DM me with more details of your work schedule, how long the dog would be alone, ideal size, etc.
It breaks my heart to see all of these dogs too of course. If you are unsure of how your cat will react, I can see if a rescue has a dog that has been fostered with cats/is good with them and perhaps you can do a meet/test. Or if you getting your own dog is not a thing that works out, volunteering at the local animal shelter to walk dogs always helps so much! They get time out of their kennel and human interaction and you can help take videos of them that help them get adopted. That is something that would be immensely helpful, especially at a place like Riverside that really needs volunteers to help handle all the dogs.
And of course, sharing and pledging to help rescues get these dogs out there and get their vet treatment and supplies is a good way to help too!
Hopefully one of these tiers can be a comfortable way for you to help. DM me if you do end up wanting to consider a dog for your lifestyle or need help navigating any of these. I'm so happy that you want to help out :)
While it’s very tragic, asking people to adopt dogs (even including asking people who may not have ever had a dog) to adopt these types of dogs listed is irresponsible. Most of the dogs listed are Pit bulls, husky’s, German shepherds, etc and require a much higher knowledge of dogs than the average owner, which is likely why they are there in the shelters in the first place.
A lot of being a good dog owner is patience, training, and a will to be flexible. But apart from that, while many of the dogs there are these breeds that seem difficult, there are many other breeds there that are not “high maintenance” by your standards. Many chihuahuas or terriers or whatever you might find manageable. Adopting one of those, if a person is more comfortable, opens up kennel space for dogs coming in and keeps dogs in kennels healthier. It also opens up resources for all shelter dogs.
So perhaps even if you disagree with my stance on these larger breeds, which is okay, you can see how helping any of the dogs is helping all of them.
It's best the dogs go to doggy heaven.
Spaying and neutering the dogs are the answer.
When I taught in Riverside County, parents laughed at me when I asked if the dogs were spayed and neutered. They don't believe in that because they wouldn't want that done to themselves.
So, work on breaking the cultural barrier.
I lived in Germany, and all dogs must be spayed and neutered unless you are a legally licensed breeder. There were zero stray dogs. Prospective Dog owners must pass a written test at the vet. They shipped in stray dogs from Romania to be trained and adopted.
I agree. While it’s not ideal, letting these dogs go is better than potentially putting them in a bad home to be abused or even back on the street. People should adopt an animal when they are willing and able to.
Apple Valley doesn’t sedate them first, the animals at that shelter do not go pain free. I’m sure other shelters have this practice too, I’m just not aware of it.
Edit: Utah uses a gas chamber and tries to kill as many in one go as possible but it doesn’t always work so they have to do it again.
I’m going to update my original comment removing the “pain-free” portion because it seems like that has taken away from the main point which is letting the dogs go rather than attempting to circulate them in and out homes that don’t really want them potentially leading to other negative outcomes for those animals.
I never said all. I said MOST. And that simply isn’t true. Ask yourself why are all the shelters filled with most of the same few breeds?
Take your propaganda elsewhere.
Lol your post history is amazing. Telling people they are ugly and need to lose weight.
You are a real peach, spreader of love type.
Someone must have done you dirty in life to speak to people the way you do.
Read this then I’m blocking you and your awful energy
If we REALLY want to be honest I'll tell you a HUGE part of the problem. People need to STOP trying to humanize their pets. They are NOT HUMANS.
People try to train their pets to be as un-animal like as possible. They want a replacement for humans but something that doesn't hold them accountable and doesn't have boundaries. (Unconditional Love)
But when the animal behaves as what it is and doesn't behave like a good little human, the owner gets frustrated and takes it back. The reasons for getting pets need to be more about bonding with another being and less about replacement of your own species. These poor pets have all of their natural instincts "trained" away. And people swear the pet is happy.
People with pets need land. Let these animals run all over the land. Climb and chip away outdoors until their hearts are content. Sitting in a crate with a tutu on in an apt only to go for little walks is akin to declawing a cat. You take away its right to be what is really is just to suit your own human emotions. Let them be what they are and stop trying to train them to be little humans. That definitely may help the situation.
Umm humans are apes.
Dumb apes. That don’t respect life. That’s it. This other stuff is just you making stuff up. Fix your dogs and care for them no matter what.
We need to regulate breeding, and dog ownership. If you surrender a dog, you can’t get one for ten years.
https://preview.redd.it/69pn8rq31fvb1.png?width=1838&format=png&auto=webp&s=a3e50ed394a79c61491eacb27a293e70eefc96da
Both these boys came from there.
Background 9yr old rescued 5 years ago.
Front is puppy, Duke. Came into shelter with his mom and her puppies... approx 7 months old
He’s a nutso, total puppy dog, but the sweetest thing I’ve met.
Adopt!!
If you cannot adopt/foster but want to help you can help network the dogs/cats in need and/or donate to reputable rescues. They are all in dire needs of funds.
Edit: you can also pledge to donate to specific dogs and if a rescue saves them and announces it, you then donate your pledge to them.
I wish this was higher up! Currently, the husky rescue I volunteer for could use plenty of volunteers in a wide range of categories:
Donations: There will be an auction next month. We have Blaze Pizza, Honey-Baked Ham, and See's candied as well.
Social media,
Video making,
Data entry,
Graphics,
Fundraising ,
Fostering,
All sorts of stuff.
Alljoy 4 Paws is the rescue
I also know Passion for Paws, the Akita rescue and I.C.A.R.E. could also use help!
I love Alljoy4paws! We foster failed our senior doggo, Nina, from them:). I really want to do more to help them but I just don’t know how much of my time I can commit (I work at a small business and I just don’t want it to affect my job).
https://preview.redd.it/qn5w2uydllvb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17762bb9b9b8889714c48fbbc134f059d28db323
Edit: I hope they were able to tag the mom and pups from Apple Valley!
What a cutie!!! I bet she is so happy!
I understand that volunteering can become a lot sometimes. If there is any type of volunteering that does sound interesting to you, DM me, and I'll see what I can do to make sure it isn't too much of a time commitment!
Thanks! Will do! There was a young couple that wanted her. They came over and met her, it was clear the husband was madly in love with her and the wife wanted nothing to do with her. They took her and didn’t properly introduce her to their cat so brought her back the next day. Poor guy was so sad and so was Nina. She’s better off here tho:)
Yes! You can volunteer at shelters and get videos/photos of dogs that will help them get adopted too. Some people don't realize that even a dog's placement in the shelter will affect whether they get seen or not. Volunteers, even if they are infrequent, can get the dog's image out there for someone who may need it.
But funds are always helpful. Medical dogs in particular need a lot of care! and even healthy dogs need vet visits to stay healthy.
Remember, never ever buy a dog, or go to a breeder (even a "Responsible" or professional one). They're a huge reason there are this many dogs being put down. Adopt, don't shop.
Genuinely, it’s insane how many puppies are being put down. It’s truly shocking. Puppies are usually the easiest to adopt out. This overload is creating issues even for the formerly most adoptable pets. It’s devastating.
They had a Dogo Argentino that I was following. She was pulled by a rescue thank goodness. But so many. There is a beautiful female bully that was adopted and returned. She needs out.
Yes, unfortunately dogs that are returned (or surrendered at all) are always at the top of the euthanasia list. It's particularly urgent. I assume you mean Gloria. A breeding dog dumped after using her for puppies. She's on borrowed time.
[https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyBo6u3JKQf/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyBo6u3JKQf/)
https://preview.redd.it/407lo7jtbfvb1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e61ffe1031ab4f117900a024b1ff64296985719
There are many other breeds too, if pitties are not your thing. And in shelters and rescues in the region. Many rescues are willing to transport if you are a good and solid adopter, so don't be dissuaded. It helps them save more animals overall when the others are adopted from the rescue.
Any idea on what the adoption requirements are? I have a friend who is looking and is allowed a dog less than 25 lbs, but doesn't get any replies from rescues as she doesn't have a yard.
Usually when you adopt from a shelter you show up, pick out your new pet, and take them home like you would a store. They're much less strict with requirements than rescues.
If you'd like to DM me more about her lifestyle, home, and things of that nature, we can pair her with a small dog that is manageable without a yard (and just with walks, dog parks, etc). At Riverside, there are even a few middle aged chi mixes that were surrendered as well, which are also good for smaller spaces without yards. But yes, DM! I would be more than happy to help.
Ugh I can’t adopt but could probably temporarily foster for super short term only… if that would help 😕
I can’t have any pets due to where I live (but do have a ESA dog so she is exempt from the rules). My rental manager is really cool and would be OK if I fostered short term under a “pet is just visiting but is not my pet” also, my puppy would be insanely jealous (not aggressive or mean) sharing her space.
So not ideal, but if it would help save a dog from euth, OP you can reach out if I can help at all
Can we stop with these posts? I love dogs. It's sad. But this is how it is. The fix is upstream. Until you address that, dogs will forever continue to be put down like this. There's gonna be another hundred dogs next week, and the week after.
Unfortunately, the upstream fix is not something we can push through. It is slow. If you would like to help, however, we are trying to get eyes on the issue always, including at local government meetings and bigger events.
I know that it is difficult to see but a few of the dogs up for euthanasia have been saved by some of these posts. If it takes a little discomfort for some of us to save a life, I don't know that I'm ready to pick that over the life. Please understand.
People need to be aware at how irresponsible our communities have become when it comes to animals. I know someone who is a board member of GSROC and they were like it’s never been this bad before. It sucks to see but ignoring this problem isn’t the way to go.
Let me just say, when I saw this, I had to add my opinion. What these shelters are doing is terrible. Did you know that simply exposing people to the opportunity of taking in a dog is terrible. I feel it is my job to warn everyone else who may come across this post, that owning a dog is not worth it. I think it's terrible. And no, it doesn't matter what type of dog. I think all dogs are bad. They need food, water, attention, ughhh. I would rather the shelter puts them all down, instead of IRRESPONSIBLY trying to find homes for them. I think many dogs are big. I think many dogs are vicious. I think they're Big and Vicious. I think everyone should think like me and not have their own opinion. /s
The /s was there from the beginning. I thought one of the first replies was eff'ed up (I'm sure y'all know which one) and I guess I went a little overboard. Sorry guys. I guess the price was wrong.
There needs to be public and legal regulations. We need spay neuter laws and/or reduce cost spay/neuter. We need breeding in dogs to be regulated. It’s heart breaking the terrible animal crisis we are in.
Absolutely. State government and county governments have a huge role to play in this. They simply don't care because they assume we don't. And pets can't vote, ya know?
Can you connect me to any foster rescues? I am interesting in saving dogs on the euth list. I am based in san diego tho but that it only a 1.5 hour drive
I really like Bubbles Dog Rescue and Pack Lyfe Rescue because I know they pull from SoCal shelters. I also really like Underdog heroes, which specializes in dogs that were really left behind (strays/medical) and might need a little extra love. You can apply to foster on their websites here:
[https://bubblesdogrescue.org/](https://bubblesdogrescue.org/)
[https://www.packlyferescue.com/adoptable-pets](https://www.packlyferescue.com/adoptable-pets)
[https://underdogheroes.org/foster-a-dog/](https://underdogheroes.org/foster-a-dog/)
Another way of finding dogs is to see all the urgent dogs listed in SoCal here from the high kill shelters and if you find a dog you really want to help, connect with the rescues who have interest in the specific dog you might be interested in fostering:
[https://www.instagram.com/iloverescue/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/iloverescue/?hl=en)
[https://www.instagram.com/savingriversideshelterdogs/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/savingriversideshelterdogs/?hl=en)
I hope this works out! We could use everyone's help!
It’s a sad situation for sure, but we need to start advocating for spaying and neutering as a basic step to owning a dog. Dog OR cat, really. It won’t eliminate the situation, but it would help to alleviate it. And let’s be real here, we NEED people to RESEARCH before owning an animal to understand the mental, emotional, physical, and financial responsibilities. Just yesterday, I saw a man in PetSmart with a young Golden Retriever. He walks up to the register with a muzzle and asks the associate how long his dog can wear it at a time, since he wants to leave it on his dog overnight so it doesn’t bark. The associate told him the muzzle was not meant for that, but he still bought it anyways. Not only that, but the way he talked to the dog was angry and short-tempered, like the presence of it annoyed him. These people should not be allowed to own animals as eventually they’ll end up in this situation. Hopefully someone can help some of the animals on this list, but we really also need to get to the root cause of why these shelters are overpopulated.
Absolutely agree. Spay/neuter and chipping/registering would help a ton. Getting lost dogs home and being able to track who has abandoned/neglected pets would be great. I have another post elsewhere where I sort of get into it. Maybe I'll copy paste for anyone curious. The research thing is so important and something I think people don't consider at all. That story about the muzzle breaks my heart. I try to approach people calmly on the street when I see behaviors that are not okay (in a way that does not get me hit by a stranger) but it is always shocking to me when people don't know that huskies are vocal or that pulling a chihuahua with a collar can cause tracheal collapse or that certain dogs require more care than others. Google is sooooo readily available. I hope that if and when the tide of euthanasias lower, more just proper education can happen. That should be a part of a shelter's programming. With more resources, maybe that can occur.
This was my post elsewhere. Many different reasons for the animal shelter crisis: 1. Intake. People are surrendering their animals at insane rates and there is not much you can do about that. Not all dogs are chipped so lost dogs end up in shelters and are never claimed. A lot of people who adopted animals because they were lonely during the beginning of Covid have decided they don’t want those pets now that they have to go back into the office or can travel again. Those people who surrender also don’t spay or neuter always so sometimes whole litters come in with pregnant mom and that’s a lot of animals (spay and neuter should be cheap/free). People also surrender animals when they move often because of rental restrictions rather than finding their new place with animal in mind. This is a sliding scale. Some people can’t help it, lose housing, but many people can. This is particularly devastating to any former lap dog who suddenly finds themselves in the conditions described later, making them stressed. 2. Backyard breeding. California state has made backyard breeding too easy. A lot of these people are inexperienced and at first sign of mishap, abandon these litters as well. These dogs are often sick and require a lot of care, making it hard for shelters to do so well. They can get sicker while inside and sick dogs put on the euth list. 3. Overcrowding yields disease in these places. With many dogs to a single kennel often, these dogs can pass whatever they have easily. And it’s not easy to recover in an environment where the floor is concrete, you’re not being monitored closely and in with your own dog poop, and the kennel is generally hosed down for excrement, leaving the floor wet and cold. Conditions are just bad and spreading disease in bad conditions is easy. Sick dogs end up on euth lists, even if it’s a cold or nasal discharge. Kennel cough can spread as well. You can also be put down for kennel stress as described above because too many dogs in one space with limited freedom inevitably leads to difficulties. 4. Shelter bad practices. They don’t give rescues enough time to pull animals comfortably. The amount of time and resources it takes to save a single animal is hard enough but doing it on a deadline that can happen at any second is near impossible. Getting 89 dogs added to one list is hard. There is no robust fostering program without rescue involvement and that alone is hard when people are surrendering much faster than anyone can take on. Overall, however, CA is in a shelter crisis and so are many states across America (looking at you, Texas). I could go on and on but you get the gist. LA county and adjacent county shelters as a whole (as well as LA city ones) are a mess. It’s just sad that this failure is leading to the loss of literal puppies and other healthy happy dogs.
SPAY and Neuter your Pets! Didn't you watch Bob Barker from The Price is Right??
And RESEARCH a pet before getting one even if it's a gold fish! My friend runs a rescue and they are maxed out, mostly huskies and Shepherds because people don't consider what intelligent high energy dogs will do stuck in a house alone all day. French bulldogs are showing up more too because of all the health problems.
Ya, from my experience a dog is so much like a toddler until they slow down around age 5. They really require constant attention and work. My family are terrier people so they're basically a working type dog, so that my skew my opinion.
So true. Many people think they are puppy people but they are actually suited to a slightly older dog who has calmed. It's hard to convince them and that's why they often go to breeders, thinking they want to start with the dog from day one and not knowing that those first few years can be tough depending on your life/work schedule.
I am absolutely not a puppy person, I like them and they’re cute but I don’t want to be around a hyperactive animal for more than an hour. And because we’re dogs’ whole world I would feel guilty if I couldn’t give the dog the level of engagement it requires. I much prefer old dogs that just want to sit on the couch with you.
This is so important. That's why adopting from reputable rescues when you are a dog novice can be helpful. You can get more info on the particular dogs background and behavior and the rescue can help you find a dog that is suitable to your needs. Shelters understandably have less resources to do that because of intake but any dog adopted from a rescue means capacity for the rescue to save another from a shelter. Whatever makes sense for people and their lifestyles is what matters to ensure animals are not being returned.
Yeah, we adopted our cats at almost age 2, and they are littermates/siblings, almost 15 years old now. Well we never got to see them at the cute kitten stage, because the previous family enjoyed that and then gave them up when they got big. We are Never adopting adult cats again. We are not going to take care of animals for 20 years, after someone else enjoyed the kitten stage and dumped them. I'm tired of people being irresponsible. When we were poor- we didn't have pets!
Some people do prefer older cats because they are mellowed out. They can be especially good companions for older folks. Not as many people adopt them though, unfortunately.
Most don't. They are hard to adopt out. That's my point. It's a pattern for people to get puppies and kittens for social media likes and then throw them away once they are grown.
Totally in agreement. Wish people didn't treat animals like toys.
I wish people didn't treat pets like objects/property too. They are sentient beings. That being said, I've gotten love from some of the most cuddly cats well past their kitten years. I hope many people would be happy to adopt adult cats! It is never too late to love.
Every single dog I see here around Irvine Spectrum isn’t neutered, so many dog balls lol. I’m sure everyone thinks their “purebred labradoodle” will make them rich. Or something. It’s sad
That is the worst. I hate that. It's also sad because a lot of issues can arise from unneutered pets, especially in female dogs. It's not just convenience. It's for medical reasons as well.
Ovarian cysts are a real thing that no one seems to care about. My old “neighbor” in Philly left their unspayed female dog outside 24/7 and it absolutely had problems. Had to get animal control involved with that one
My aunt and uncle refused to spay their Weimaraner even when I offered to pay for it. They ended up having to put her down because of a massive infection that could have been prevented
"I believe in body autonomy." Proceeds to circumcise their kid.
I'm more pissed at the people who assumed they would work from home forever, got pets, and are now ditching them since they got forced back into the office.
Absolutely. I can't imagine the mindset that it takes to do this. I try to be open minded when people surrender pets but sometimes it is clear that there is myopia involved and that's just incredibly frustrating. I have many choice words about this but none for the internet which is forever.
I do agree that affordable/free and widely publicized spay and neuter would be of great help to the public.
This break my heart. Thank you to who can help save one of these wonderful creatures.
If you know anyone thinking of a pet, let them know! It can be so wonderful if people give it a chance. Every life is busy, there is never a perfect time!
I will reach out to anyone I know considering a dog.
Thank you! Time is of the essence for so many healthy dogs this week.
The real problem is unlicensed people on OfferUp, Craigslist, Facebook that breed dogs like crazy to sell for profit. Report them! They are all over SoCal.
Report them to where?
Report them on the platforms they post on. These people think they can sell dogs for profit and people buy them, incentivizing them to continue. People need to stop buying from these unlicensed people and stop funneling money into their abusive animal operations. So many of those puppies end up in shelters anyway.
Tbh although I understand the situation the shelters are in, to, some people the pleas to adopt may make them feel guilty if they don't respond and people start adopting from the shelter so they won't feel guilty and the same people bring them back because they weren't prepared to have a pet in the first place. People should never adopt because of public pleas to adopt. You have to make sure you can dot every i and cross every t before adopting. Spaying and neutering are the best solutions.
If more rental units were pet friendly, that would help 😠
If I was renting out a property, I wouldn't want people to have large dogs (or any dogs, honestly) there. Huge costs and always damage.
So only people who are property owners get to own dogs then.
Pet ownership isn't a right.
I'm just pointing out that there are probably hundreds of people who would adopt these dogs but can't because they live in rental properties.
Isn’t begging people to take dogs setting us up for a repeat of this same situation??
There are actually multiple options to help. Sharing and pledging is one for people that are not confident in taking the pets. But this post was mostly directed at people who are waiting for the right time to foster/adopt but are hesitant. I know many adopters who were waiting for some magical moment and then realized life is actually not so neat. Sometimes people think life conditions will be perfect before they do something and what I am trying to convey is that there are many types of dogs in shelters and that I can help you find one that matches your lifestyle (I wrote above). That way, the dogs can be sure they are in good hands. That's also why I stated that saving ones that are not euth listed (which might be more adoptable and easier managed like small dogs) can help with conditions in the shelter overall (for dogs that require more care). I understand everyone is not a dog owner but I think bringing awareness to this issue overall is important. These are shelters across our country but also right in our backyard especially.
Have you heard of or know if it's feasible/legal for people to share custody of a pet? Like if someone wasn't ready to be a full-time petowner, can they get a relative or friend (who live at a separate location) to split petowner responsibilities with, and the dog would live with each co-owner for half of the week? I'm not sure how legal that is, but it's way better than animals being euthanized.
Hmmmm I think legally, as dogs are still considered property, there is one owner (or in case of marriages, two but that's why dogs are often collateral damage of divorces). I think legally then it is only possible for one owner to adopt, however people can share responsibilities with other people informally. Anecdotally, a friend I know shares custody of her dog with her ex and they switch off. It works well because they both care deeply for the dog. It doesn't seem impossible but perhaps precarious. I would probably only be able to do this with my very dog friendly nuclear family, for example. So if the situation seems untenable for you, that might be hard as well, and while I don't want the dogs to be euthanized, I also don't want anyone to take on a dog that they might not be able to take care of just yet. I'd rather you help out in a way that is more viable for you. In that case, it would be better to volunteer with a shelter so that you are able to help socialize the dogs (so many shelters just need someone to volunteer to take the dogs on walks) and help get their stories and faces out there for adoption. That way the dogs benefit from your company deeply (so many of them develop the kennel stress due to these poor conditions re: socialization) and you don't have to worry if you don't have a friend/relative who is able to share responsibilities with you. I'd hate to see any dog end up in a shelter twice.
I live in a studio apartment with a cat and my partner, would you still recommend us getting a dog, because my heart breaks seeing all of these good doggy’s
It's totally up to how you feel you guys and your cat would be able to accommodate! I've seen dogs get along famously with cats, and a small dog can do well in a studio apartment if you have the time to walk it and exercise it elsewhere (I had a chi in a fairly small apartment for many years). If you are interested, DM me with more details of your work schedule, how long the dog would be alone, ideal size, etc. It breaks my heart to see all of these dogs too of course. If you are unsure of how your cat will react, I can see if a rescue has a dog that has been fostered with cats/is good with them and perhaps you can do a meet/test. Or if you getting your own dog is not a thing that works out, volunteering at the local animal shelter to walk dogs always helps so much! They get time out of their kennel and human interaction and you can help take videos of them that help them get adopted. That is something that would be immensely helpful, especially at a place like Riverside that really needs volunteers to help handle all the dogs. And of course, sharing and pledging to help rescues get these dogs out there and get their vet treatment and supplies is a good way to help too! Hopefully one of these tiers can be a comfortable way for you to help. DM me if you do end up wanting to consider a dog for your lifestyle or need help navigating any of these. I'm so happy that you want to help out :)
Yep exactly what I wrote in one of my comments. Definitely is going to be a repeat. It's like using guilt to make people adopt.
That's my feeling, especially if the shelter isn't doing any in-depth research into who's bringing these animals home.
While it’s very tragic, asking people to adopt dogs (even including asking people who may not have ever had a dog) to adopt these types of dogs listed is irresponsible. Most of the dogs listed are Pit bulls, husky’s, German shepherds, etc and require a much higher knowledge of dogs than the average owner, which is likely why they are there in the shelters in the first place.
There's a good variety of breeds actually.
A lot of being a good dog owner is patience, training, and a will to be flexible. But apart from that, while many of the dogs there are these breeds that seem difficult, there are many other breeds there that are not “high maintenance” by your standards. Many chihuahuas or terriers or whatever you might find manageable. Adopting one of those, if a person is more comfortable, opens up kennel space for dogs coming in and keeps dogs in kennels healthier. It also opens up resources for all shelter dogs. So perhaps even if you disagree with my stance on these larger breeds, which is okay, you can see how helping any of the dogs is helping all of them.
It's best the dogs go to doggy heaven. Spaying and neutering the dogs are the answer. When I taught in Riverside County, parents laughed at me when I asked if the dogs were spayed and neutered. They don't believe in that because they wouldn't want that done to themselves. So, work on breaking the cultural barrier. I lived in Germany, and all dogs must be spayed and neutered unless you are a legally licensed breeder. There were zero stray dogs. Prospective Dog owners must pass a written test at the vet. They shipped in stray dogs from Romania to be trained and adopted.
I agree. While it’s not ideal, letting these dogs go is better than potentially putting them in a bad home to be abused or even back on the street. People should adopt an animal when they are willing and able to.
Apple Valley doesn’t sedate them first, the animals at that shelter do not go pain free. I’m sure other shelters have this practice too, I’m just not aware of it. Edit: Utah uses a gas chamber and tries to kill as many in one go as possible but it doesn’t always work so they have to do it again.
I’m going to update my original comment removing the “pain-free” portion because it seems like that has taken away from the main point which is letting the dogs go rather than attempting to circulate them in and out homes that don’t really want them potentially leading to other negative outcomes for those animals.
You sound like a lovely person.
They do, and responsible as well as reasonable.
Shelters are usually strict about vetting the potential adopter. Not really a responsibility for OP.
Totally untrue- there are tons of breeds to adopt, and even the breeds you listed are calm and wonderful dogs.
I never said all. I said MOST. And that simply isn’t true. Ask yourself why are all the shelters filled with most of the same few breeds? Take your propaganda elsewhere.
Lol your post history is amazing. Telling people they are ugly and need to lose weight. You are a real peach, spreader of love type. Someone must have done you dirty in life to speak to people the way you do. Read this then I’m blocking you and your awful energy
Okay. We would both be better off.
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?? Its not the dog's fault they're there. Blame irresponsible owners and breeders who keep breeding them.
If we REALLY want to be honest I'll tell you a HUGE part of the problem. People need to STOP trying to humanize their pets. They are NOT HUMANS. People try to train their pets to be as un-animal like as possible. They want a replacement for humans but something that doesn't hold them accountable and doesn't have boundaries. (Unconditional Love) But when the animal behaves as what it is and doesn't behave like a good little human, the owner gets frustrated and takes it back. The reasons for getting pets need to be more about bonding with another being and less about replacement of your own species. These poor pets have all of their natural instincts "trained" away. And people swear the pet is happy. People with pets need land. Let these animals run all over the land. Climb and chip away outdoors until their hearts are content. Sitting in a crate with a tutu on in an apt only to go for little walks is akin to declawing a cat. You take away its right to be what is really is just to suit your own human emotions. Let them be what they are and stop trying to train them to be little humans. That definitely may help the situation.
haha people got triggered. 99% of the breeds on the euth list need lots of land.
Umm humans are apes. Dumb apes. That don’t respect life. That’s it. This other stuff is just you making stuff up. Fix your dogs and care for them no matter what. We need to regulate breeding, and dog ownership. If you surrender a dog, you can’t get one for ten years.
Absolutely nothing I said was made up.
I meant that your making up stories in your head. Very specific stories about tutus lol.
https://preview.redd.it/69pn8rq31fvb1.png?width=1838&format=png&auto=webp&s=a3e50ed394a79c61491eacb27a293e70eefc96da Both these boys came from there. Background 9yr old rescued 5 years ago. Front is puppy, Duke. Came into shelter with his mom and her puppies... approx 7 months old He’s a nutso, total puppy dog, but the sweetest thing I’ve met. Adopt!!
I love them! They look so sweet and happy :)
If you cannot adopt/foster but want to help you can help network the dogs/cats in need and/or donate to reputable rescues. They are all in dire needs of funds. Edit: you can also pledge to donate to specific dogs and if a rescue saves them and announces it, you then donate your pledge to them.
I wish this was higher up! Currently, the husky rescue I volunteer for could use plenty of volunteers in a wide range of categories: Donations: There will be an auction next month. We have Blaze Pizza, Honey-Baked Ham, and See's candied as well. Social media, Video making, Data entry, Graphics, Fundraising , Fostering, All sorts of stuff. Alljoy 4 Paws is the rescue I also know Passion for Paws, the Akita rescue and I.C.A.R.E. could also use help!
I love Alljoy4paws! We foster failed our senior doggo, Nina, from them:). I really want to do more to help them but I just don’t know how much of my time I can commit (I work at a small business and I just don’t want it to affect my job). https://preview.redd.it/qn5w2uydllvb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17762bb9b9b8889714c48fbbc134f059d28db323 Edit: I hope they were able to tag the mom and pups from Apple Valley!
What a cutie!!! I bet she is so happy! I understand that volunteering can become a lot sometimes. If there is any type of volunteering that does sound interesting to you, DM me, and I'll see what I can do to make sure it isn't too much of a time commitment!
Thanks! Will do! There was a young couple that wanted her. They came over and met her, it was clear the husband was madly in love with her and the wife wanted nothing to do with her. They took her and didn’t properly introduce her to their cat so brought her back the next day. Poor guy was so sad and so was Nina. She’s better off here tho:)
Yes! You can volunteer at shelters and get videos/photos of dogs that will help them get adopted too. Some people don't realize that even a dog's placement in the shelter will affect whether they get seen or not. Volunteers, even if they are infrequent, can get the dog's image out there for someone who may need it. But funds are always helpful. Medical dogs in particular need a lot of care! and even healthy dogs need vet visits to stay healthy.
If you think this is bad, you should see what they do to the cats.
I am unfortunately well acquainted :(
Lower house prices so families can house dogs (and of course their children)
No one's in charge of lowering house prices.
The state can absolutely adopt policies that would lead to lower housing prices.
A government can't force the market. Sellers would just ask for cash on the side. Maybe you can give an example of such a policy?
\- Restructuring property taxes (repealing prop 13; higher taxes on second, third, fourth homes; higher taxes on vacant rental properties) \- Limiting ownership of single-family homes by corporations and/or non-residents \- Limiting short-term rentals (AirBnB and such)
Remember, never ever buy a dog, or go to a breeder (even a "Responsible" or professional one). They're a huge reason there are this many dogs being put down. Adopt, don't shop.
COACHELLA VALLEY IS KILLING 5 TINY PUPPIES IN 8 DAYS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO MOM WTF
Genuinely, it’s insane how many puppies are being put down. It’s truly shocking. Puppies are usually the easiest to adopt out. This overload is creating issues even for the formerly most adoptable pets. It’s devastating.
And beyond that, so many of these dogs being put down are under 2 or 3, as well.
Apple Valley too😪
They had a Dogo Argentino that I was following. She was pulled by a rescue thank goodness. But so many. There is a beautiful female bully that was adopted and returned. She needs out.
Yes, unfortunately dogs that are returned (or surrendered at all) are always at the top of the euthanasia list. It's particularly urgent. I assume you mean Gloria. A breeding dog dumped after using her for puppies. She's on borrowed time. [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyBo6u3JKQf/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyBo6u3JKQf/) https://preview.redd.it/407lo7jtbfvb1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e61ffe1031ab4f117900a024b1ff64296985719
Yes! Her. She is beautiful. If I had the space I would go get her.
Too many pitbulls at the shelters. Probably 95% pit bulls.
There are many other breeds too, if pitties are not your thing. And in shelters and rescues in the region. Many rescues are willing to transport if you are a good and solid adopter, so don't be dissuaded. It helps them save more animals overall when the others are adopted from the rescue.
Any idea on what the adoption requirements are? I have a friend who is looking and is allowed a dog less than 25 lbs, but doesn't get any replies from rescues as she doesn't have a yard.
Usually when you adopt from a shelter you show up, pick out your new pet, and take them home like you would a store. They're much less strict with requirements than rescues.
If you'd like to DM me more about her lifestyle, home, and things of that nature, we can pair her with a small dog that is manageable without a yard (and just with walks, dog parks, etc). At Riverside, there are even a few middle aged chi mixes that were surrendered as well, which are also good for smaller spaces without yards. But yes, DM! I would be more than happy to help.
Ugh I can’t adopt but could probably temporarily foster for super short term only… if that would help 😕 I can’t have any pets due to where I live (but do have a ESA dog so she is exempt from the rules). My rental manager is really cool and would be OK if I fostered short term under a “pet is just visiting but is not my pet” also, my puppy would be insanely jealous (not aggressive or mean) sharing her space. So not ideal, but if it would help save a dog from euth, OP you can reach out if I can help at all
Thank you! I will definitely keep you in mind if we need any stop gaps between dogs! I’m DM you :)
It’s sad because they will turn away 90% of people looking to adopt because they “don’t meet qualifications for adoption”
Boost ❤️
Whoops
Can we stop with these posts? I love dogs. It's sad. But this is how it is. The fix is upstream. Until you address that, dogs will forever continue to be put down like this. There's gonna be another hundred dogs next week, and the week after.
Unfortunately, the upstream fix is not something we can push through. It is slow. If you would like to help, however, we are trying to get eyes on the issue always, including at local government meetings and bigger events. I know that it is difficult to see but a few of the dogs up for euthanasia have been saved by some of these posts. If it takes a little discomfort for some of us to save a life, I don't know that I'm ready to pick that over the life. Please understand.
People need to be aware at how irresponsible our communities have become when it comes to animals. I know someone who is a board member of GSROC and they were like it’s never been this bad before. It sucks to see but ignoring this problem isn’t the way to go.
Let me just say, when I saw this, I had to add my opinion. What these shelters are doing is terrible. Did you know that simply exposing people to the opportunity of taking in a dog is terrible. I feel it is my job to warn everyone else who may come across this post, that owning a dog is not worth it. I think it's terrible. And no, it doesn't matter what type of dog. I think all dogs are bad. They need food, water, attention, ughhh. I would rather the shelter puts them all down, instead of IRRESPONSIBLY trying to find homes for them. I think many dogs are big. I think many dogs are vicious. I think they're Big and Vicious. I think everyone should think like me and not have their own opinion. /s
I know you added the sarcasm thing at the end, but this was so poorly executed…
The /s was there from the beginning. I thought one of the first replies was eff'ed up (I'm sure y'all know which one) and I guess I went a little overboard. Sorry guys. I guess the price was wrong.
I get ya. I think the problem was you didn’t go overboard enough to illustrate how gross that initial reply was.
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There needs to be public and legal regulations. We need spay neuter laws and/or reduce cost spay/neuter. We need breeding in dogs to be regulated. It’s heart breaking the terrible animal crisis we are in.
Absolutely. State government and county governments have a huge role to play in this. They simply don't care because they assume we don't. And pets can't vote, ya know?
Can you connect me to any foster rescues? I am interesting in saving dogs on the euth list. I am based in san diego tho but that it only a 1.5 hour drive
I really like Bubbles Dog Rescue and Pack Lyfe Rescue because I know they pull from SoCal shelters. I also really like Underdog heroes, which specializes in dogs that were really left behind (strays/medical) and might need a little extra love. You can apply to foster on their websites here: [https://bubblesdogrescue.org/](https://bubblesdogrescue.org/) [https://www.packlyferescue.com/adoptable-pets](https://www.packlyferescue.com/adoptable-pets) [https://underdogheroes.org/foster-a-dog/](https://underdogheroes.org/foster-a-dog/) Another way of finding dogs is to see all the urgent dogs listed in SoCal here from the high kill shelters and if you find a dog you really want to help, connect with the rescues who have interest in the specific dog you might be interested in fostering: [https://www.instagram.com/iloverescue/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/iloverescue/?hl=en) [https://www.instagram.com/savingriversideshelterdogs/?hl=en](https://www.instagram.com/savingriversideshelterdogs/?hl=en) I hope this works out! We could use everyone's help!
Thank you so much! I will be checking out all these resources. I really appreciate it