FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KDVR) — Animal shelters in the northern part of Colorado are feeling the heat as adoption rates have gone down.

Recent inflation and job-loss in our post-pandemic world has led to more animals going to shelters not just in Colorado, but all over the country.

These shelters are overcrowded to say the least — even with spring and summer being the busiest seasons — as we enter the fall season, adoption rates have remained low. This means euthanasia rates will likely rise because shelters simply have no where else to put animals.

If things couldn’t get worse for Northern Colorado animal shelters, other states are requesting to send their homeless animals to our state, in hopes of getting them adopted. The pressure is on.

“The number of requests we are receiving from new out-of-state shelter partners is drastically increasing,” says Sarah Swanty, executive director at Animal Friends Alliance. “Historically, we would receive requests from one or two partners in a week. Recently we got requests from five shelters in a single weekend. We help as many animals as we can, but the scope of the current need is overwhelming.”

Dog waits for adoption in Northern Colorado
Kane, a two-and-a-half year-old husky/shepherd mix, is waiting to find his family. Courtesy: Animal Friends Alliance.

Here’s the good news: you can do something about it.

  • Adopt an animal from one of these shelters. Fuller shelters mean a wider variety of animals to choose from.
  • Fostering an animal is another option. Providing a home for an animal, even if for a short time, will help release pressure on shelters and the animal.
  • Donating to your local shelter is a great way to help those shelters provide more resources for the animals.

Animal Friends Alliance, Larimer Humane Society and Humane Society of Weld County have over 100 animals in their care waiting for homes. Click here for more information.