Stamford Animal Shelter Crowds As Economy Lags

The often-full capacity of the Stamford Animal Shelter may reflect a growing national problem; fewer people can keep pets and shelters lack the space to take them.

"It's a problem across the country right now with dogs and cats; the shelters are full," Stamford Animal Shelter Director Laurie Hollywood said. "I think that the economy is one big reason. People are having trouble taking care of themselves, let alone a pet."

According to Hollywood, the 2011 economy has forced pet owners in Stamford and across the country to move into housing which do not allow pets. "Part of the problem is that 'No Pets Allowed' makes it harder to keep pets, and landlords aren't willing to negotiate," Hollywood said. "There's a lot of people without employment. Veterinary costs are not cheap."

Hollywood made an example of a personal friend in NY who wishes to give her cat away, due to its care costs, but has had difficulty in finding a shelter that has the capacity for her pet. Besides financial issues, Hollywood suggests that Stamford Animal Shelter's full capacity can be explained through a principal that the shelter prides itself on.

"We don't do same day adoptions. We want to avoid the spontaneous purchase...some people buy pets impulsively and later regret it," Hollywood said. "A lot of the difficulty is that is doesn't happen fast enough for some people."

Despite the sometimes-slow adoption process, which Hollywood says can take at least several weeks, Hollywood states that anyone who has the ability to take on and is responsible enough to do so should. According to Hollywood,  Stamford residents can adopt animals besides dogs and cats, and that "there's no need to go to a pet shop when you can adopt."

"I think education [to the problem] and awareness are the key," Hollywood said.