‘No-Kill’ Policies Slowly Killing Animals 2022

When “no-kill” animal shelters and rescue groups are filled to capacity, which is almost always, they are left with two options: turn away more animals than they take in or warehouse animals, often in substandard, filthy, and severely crowded conditions, for weeks, months, or even years on end. Most, if not all, of the animals who are turned away from such facilities still face untimely deaths—just not at these facilities.

Instead they are cruelly killed by people who don’t want them, are dumped on roadsides and left to die from starvation or being hit by a car, or spend their short lives homeless, unwanted, and producing more litters of animals for whom no homes exist.

The lucky ones are taken to well-run open-admission animal shelters, where they either find a well-screened, permanent home or are painlessly euthanized in the arms of professionally trained, compassionate people. Here are some of the “no-kill” animal shelter failures that made headlines in recent years for making animals suffer a fate far worse than a kind death.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in December 2022

Springtown, Texas

Springtown-Epigraph.net reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Springtown Animal Control was full and turning away animals. An animal control officer allegedly “recalled an incident in which someone reported a stray dog, and [the officer] couldn’t take the dog to the shelter until space cleared up.”

Goshen, New York

LongIsland.News12.com reported that days before leaving nine dogs outdoors in freezing temperatures and leaving town, a man had reportedly “tried to surrender the dogs … but couldn’t.” Responding authorities seized the animals after finding them neglected. According to the report, three of the dogs had been found “outside in below freezing temperatures for days while six more were left behind to almost freeze in his garage.” A humane law-enforcement officer reportedly said, “Every one of them had hypothermia already. They would’ve never made it through the night.” According to the officer, the dogs “were shivering. They were ice cold. Body temperature was ice cold. They were curled up in balls.” The suspect was facing nine counts of cruelty to animals.

Longview, Texas

People.com reported that a van transporting 40 puppies from Louisiana to a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Helen Woodward Animal Center in California had hit a median and flipped onto its side in Texas, killing two of the puppies and injuring others. According to the report, surviving puppies would continue to be transported to the California group, where a spokesperson reportedly said, “We know that one of the puppies has a broken leg and one has some mild head trauma.” No additional information was available.

Charlotte, North Carolina

WBTV.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Care & Control had announced that it would no longer accept dogs from residents who were unable or unwilling to care for them. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “We simply do not have room for them.” According to the report, “Those who have already booked an appointment to surrender their dog will be called to cancel the appointment.” (See the April 2021/Union County, North Carolina, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Moncks Corner, South Carolina

ABCNews4.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Berkeley Animal Center was full and had announced that it would stop accepting animals. According to the report, “That means most stray, abandoned or surrendered dogs brought to the shelter [won’t] be taken in from the outdoors. That’s a dangerous situation for the animals with an impending change in the weather this weekend.” A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “It’s freezing at night. We do not like having to stop animals coming in.”

Kauai, Hawaii

TheGardenIsland.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Kaua’i Humane Society was full and asking people who found lost or homeless animals not to take them to the facility but instead house them themselves and walk around neighborhoods looking for owners. According to the report, the facility also asked people who needed to surrender animals they were unable or unwilling to care for to call the facility “to see if” it would accept them. Most kennels at the facility reportedly housed two or three dogs.

Los Angeles, California

LATimes.com reported that a publicly funded self-professed “no-kill” animal sheltering system doing business as Los Angeles Animal Services had been turning away animals, according to residents. A commissioner on the Board of Animal Services reportedly said, “We continue to get emails from the public telling us about animals [who] are being rejected.” A volunteer at the West Valley shelter reportedly said that “someone called the shelter after finding a kitten and wanting to surrender [the animal] to the shelter but was told that unless [the kitten] was injured to release [him or her] into the street.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group in the area alleged that her group had been contacted by “someone [who] called the city’s West Valley shelter about dropping off a pregnant cat they found four weeks ago but could no longer care for, and was told by a shelter employee to abandon the cat.” According to the report, “One Animal Services worker last week told The Times that in the years that he’s been in the city, he has never seen conditions so crowded at the shelters. In some cases, three dogs are housed in one kennel, said the worker.” (See the July 2022/Los Angeles, California, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Las Vegas, Nevada

8NewsNow.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as The Animal Foundation said that it had implemented a “managed intake policy,” and residents were reporting that “appointments get booked up quickly … and [it] can sometimes take days or weeks to bring in animals. The Animal Foundation’s website said the next available time slot for animal intake would be on Jan. 19.” According to the report, “People are no longer allowed to drop off dogs they rescued off the streets.” A spokesperson for an area animal adoption group reportedly said, “Over the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in dogs being dumped in dog parks and tied to poles.” According to the report, “Earlier this week, her team found a dog but was told by the Animal Foundation to come back in five weeks, so she called Animal Control. ‘No one is able to hold dogs that long,’ [she] said. ‘It took two days for Animal Control to pick up the dog.’” (See the October 2022/Las Vegas, Nevada, entry below for more information about this facility.)

El Campo, Texas

KRISTV.com reported that a van transporting 24 cats and 23 dogs driven by volunteers with a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Rural Texas Animal No Kill Rescue had crashed with a tractor trailer. Animals reportedly “spilled out of the transport van,” and a dog and a cat died. Other animals were seriously injured, including a dog who “was found to have been vomiting blood.” Another dog sustained “a suspected broken pelvis.” A dog who was allegedly “stolen” after the crash had been found and retrieved by responding authorities but had reportedly sustained “a broken back.” According to the report, “There are eight cats still missing. One dog is also missing and was seen with a severed leg.” The volunteers were taken to a hospital and released.

Newkirk, Oklahoma

KayNewsCow.com reported that when authorities contacted a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Northern Oklahoma Humane Society for help housing animals seized in a cruelty-to-animals investigation, the group had refused “to take the animals because of space limitations and the fact [that] the animals were sick.” A police officer reported that 13 cats and three dogs had been seized. According to the officer, “[A] black dog with two puppies … were in distress and had matted eyes. Also, three kennels containing multiple sick cats were found.” She went on to reveal that “the home was filled with inches of compact feces and clutter. She reports there was a dog inside [whom] she could not reach because of the clutter.” The owners of the property were charged with felony cruelty to animals. One of the residents said the other one “got in over her head with rescuing” animals. The animals had reportedly been signed over to authorities and taken to a veterinarian, “who reportedly confirmed that all of the animals were emaciated and in declined health. One of the cats reportedly had maggots in an ear. The other ear was missing and the feline had a hole in [his or her] head.” Because no facility could be found that would house the cats, they were reportedly taken home by the investigating officer, who “placed them in her shop with food and water.” No additional information was available.

Idaho Falls, Idaho

PostRegister.com reported that 12 cats had been left after hours outside a turn-away facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Snake River Animal Shelter. One of the animals “lost the tips of her ears,” evidently from frostbite. According to the report, “Owners who want to surrender their pets call asking if there is space only to be told it may be weeks or even months before there will be an opening.” A spokesperson for the facility said, “People get really upset with us on the phone when we tell them we have a waitlist.” More than 100 animals were reportedly on the waitlist, and “[s]ome owners have taken to abandoning their animals outside the shelter instead of waiting. Two days before shelter staff found a dozen cats abandoned, they also found a 6-month-old heeler-mix dog.” According to the report, the shelter was severely crowded and the cats who had been left outside “had to spend their first days at the shelter living in the crate they were found in.”

Roselle, Illinois

FOX32Chicago.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for nine years at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Pets and Vets USA. According to the report, the group had imported the dog in 2014 from an animal shelter in San Bernardino, California. He was thought to be 11 years old, and workers with the group reportedly “believe he is best suited for a home without children.”

Pensacola, Florida

PNJ.com reported that a publicly funded facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Escambia County Animal Welfare had “not been able to provide … reliable animal control service,” in part because of the policies. A spokesperson for the agency reportedly said that “animal control officials do not encourage county residents to pick up strays and bring them to the already overcrowded shelter.”

Meadows of Dan, Virginia

SWVAToday.com reported that authorities had seized approximately 70 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Feral Feline Recycling Project. The owner of the group, Susan Bridges, said the house, where more than 60 felines were confined, “hasn’t had heat or running water for three years.” Five cats were left with Bridges at the residence. A spokesperson for an animal adoption group that took 24 of the cats said they were suffering from “severe eye and respiratory infections,” because of the poor conditions at the residence, including “air … filled with ammonia.” It wasn’t reported whether charges were being considered.

Graham, Washington

KOMONews.com reported that authorities had seized 27 horses from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Celtic Ranch. According to the report, “The sheriff’s office said they can’t release specifics on what [led] to the investigation but that an animal cruelty investigation can [be] started for anything including neglect, abuse, lack of care or failure to get medical attention.” The investigation was ongoing.

Brick Township, New Jersey

DailyVoice.com reported that authorities had seized 135 dogs and 45 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Crazy Rescue Ladies Inc. after they were found “living in horrible and inhumane conditions.” At least two dogs were dead when they were found. According to the report, when investigators entered the home, “their worst fears were confirmed: Stacks of animal crates on top of each other with dogs and cats inside.” Conditions were so bad that a hazmat team was required to assist with the rescue. According to the report, Aimee Lonczak and Michele Nycz, both of whom evidently ran the business, “were living inside the home with Lonczak’s 16-year old child.” In addition, “both [were] arrested for animal cruelty and child endangerment. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed. The residence was subsequently condemned.” APP.com later reported that during a court hearing about the case, prosecuting attorney Alexander Becker said the animals found “were crowded in cages and ‘crusted in feces, not covered, crusted in feces.’ The encrustation was so bad that officers not only couldn’t tell the breed or sex of the animals, they couldn’t decipher their color, Becker said. There were ‘three inches of feces throughout the entire floor of the home, not just the cages, but throughout the whole household,’ Becker said.” Both women were released from custody with monitoring and conditions, and another court date was set.

Kenosha, Wisconsin

KenoshaNews.com published a letter to the editor from a resident who said that just hours after taking a homeless cat to a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Safe Harbor Humane Society, the cat had been transported back to her residence and was again on her porch by the time she arrived home. The writer said, “We can’t open our door without the cat trying to get in our house. My husband is allergic to cats and my 14-year-old dog does not like cats.”

Chicago, Illinois

WGNTV.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as the Anti-Cruelty Society had announced that it was full and turning away animals. According to the report, the facility was “spac[ing] out in-take requests because there are no cages available.” The facility was also reportedly giving large dogs away for free

Greenbrier, Tennessee

WKRN.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Greenbrier Animal Control was full and turning away animals. A spokesperson for the facility told the outlet that “since the shelter is full—mainly with animals owners have surrendered—she often has to turn the loose animals away.” She said, “I’m having to turn away so many people who are trying to surrender their dogs,” and she admitted that it “may be contributing to the stray problem in Greenbrier.” She said that individuals she was “trying to outsource to, [who] are trying to help me move dogs, they’re all overwhelmed.”

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in November 2022

Oakland Park, Florida

Sun-Sentinel.com reported that the wife of a woman who had been mauled to death by a dog while volunteering at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida Inc. had filed a lawsuit against the group. According to the report, “The lawsuit details the long list of injuries: Puncture wounds to her face, right ear, neck, right shoulder, right breast, left arm, left wrist, left thumb, right thigh, right and left knees; and fractures to her right clavicle, right scapula, right humerus, right and left ribs and sternum.” It alleged that workers failed to call 911 immediately after the attack, among other problems. The lawsuit reportedly “seeks damages that cover the medical and funeral expenses, loss of past and future earnings, mental pain and suffering and the loss of companionship and protection.” (See the February 2022/Oakland, Florida, entry below for more information.)

Troy, Alabama

TroyMessenger.com reported that two dogs had been badly injured after they’d been left outside in pens during a severe storm at a self-professed “no-kill” animal “rescue” doing business as Troy Animal Rescue Project. Dogs at the group’s property are evidently housed in pens outdoors in all weather. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that the dogs had been injured during a windstorm, which resulted in “cages [being] blown over and knocked off their concrete slabs.” One dog, named Clover, was reportedly found in shock and suffering from broken bones and blood loss. She was in such bad shape that she had to be euthanized. Another dog, named Mia, was found with a broken leg. No additional information was available.

San Marcos, Texas

Statesman.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter was severely crowded, with nearly 250 animals. It was reportedly housing animals “in whatever space can be made available in the facility’s 93 dog kennels and 83 cat kennels, meaning … cages are spilling into the lobby, hallways, offices and bathroom.” A feasibility study for a new animal shelter reportedly “estimated a cost of more than $23 million” for construction.

Indianapolis, Indiana

FOX59.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) had said in a social media post, “Please, we are begging you, do not bring animals to us.” According to the report, “Animal crates are being stored in the hallways, IACS said, dogs are being kept in offices and crates are taking up any extra inch found across the shelter. Not to mention all their holding kennels are nearly crammed full and they still have more scheduled appointments that will bring in more animals that need to be stored in more places.” According to the report, the facility’s post “went on to beg people who find a lost animal, don’t bring it [sic] to the shelter.” WRTV.com reported that after the facility had refused to accept animals from residents, workers there said that “members of the public are verbally assaulting them on a daily basis, and sometimes, things get physical.” According to the report, “[W]hen someone shows up at the city shelter on South Harding Street to surrender an animal, workers tell them they have to make an appointment—and sometimes members of the public have to wait weeks or months to get in.” One of the workers said, “They call us names. They get violent with us.” She went on to explain, “They don’t care what we have to say …. They want this dog out of their life right now.” (See the September 2022/Indianapolis, Indiana, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada

CoastReporter.net reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Furbaby Rescues Society had been ordered by a civil resolution tribunal to pay $3,540 for veterinary bills incurred by a dog adopter. According to the report, the dog, a Chihuahua named Kyra by the adopter, had been imported by the group after she’d been acquired from another self-professed animal “rescue” in California. Just days later, the adopter paid a $1,200 adoption fee. Noting that the dog was unwell, the adopter took Kyra to a veterinary hospital, where it was determined that she “was lethargic and weak, had worn incisors and a missing tooth, pneumonia, and a corneal ulcer. [The adopter] says that Kyra could not stand, eat, or drink, and barely opened her eyes,” according to veterinary notes. According to the report, $500 for mental distress was included in the judgment. (See the July 2020/Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, entry below for more information about this group.)

Charleston, West Virginia

WVGazetteMail.com reported that a self-professed “life-saving shelter” with “no-kill” policies doing business as Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association was full and would “slow taking in animals.” According to the report, the facility “had 143 adult dogs on site … and only 108 kennels to put them in, according to a news release from the organization. ‘We have adult dogs everywhere—the puppy room, the cat room, office spaces, employee restrooms, and surgery holding areas are being utilized for the huge influx of stray dogs,’” a spokesperson said.

Austin, Texas

FOX7Austin.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Austin Animal Center was full and turning away animals, including lost and homeless animals rescued by residents. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “We’re housing medium to large dogs in crates in our conference room. There’s dogs … housed in our hallways [who] are in crates as well, and then we’re actually starting to get into negative space with our small dogs and even cats at this point.” (See the September 2022/Austin, Texas, below for more details about this facility.)

Muncie, Indiana

TheStarPress.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” publicly funded animal shelter doing business as Muncie Animal Care and Services was full and had “stopped taking in animals during late October.” A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said in late November, “We’re still pretty over our limit.” She also noted that it was “well over budget for food.”

Casper, Wyoming

KUNC.org reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Casper Humane Society used waiting lists for at-risk animals in need of refuge. According to the report, “The waitlist for dogs is about three pages long, while the waitlist for cats is about 15 pages long.”

Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada

ArrowLakesNews.com reported that more than 100 dogs and cats had been left at a hotel by volunteers with a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Running Wild Rescue after they ran into a snowstorm while transporting the animals across the country. According to the report, an individual who was there to adopt a dog, volunteers, and hotel staff were left caring for the animals. A volunteer said that some travel carriers were housing up to five cats each and that the animals were apparently so covered with filth that they had to be bathed in bathrooms at the hotel. Most of the dogs were reportedly taken “to a local kennel” to be fed. They also reportedly needed to be bathed. According to the report, “Running Wild Rescue ships adopted [companion animals] by volunteer transport to various areas in Canada.”

Salt Lake City, Utah

Yahoo.com reported that a cat had been warehoused for nearly his entire life at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Best Friends Animal Society. According to the report, the cat had been transferred to the group from a public animal shelter in 2017. According to the report, the cat was “nervous around people he doesn’t know” and “prefer[red] to be the only cat in the household.”

Waukesha, Wisconsin

TheHill.com reported that an aircraft carrying 53 dogs who were being transported from New Orleans by a self-professed “no-kill” group in Wisconsin doing business as Humane Animal Welfare Society had crashed in the snow on a golf course. According to the report, “[T]he plane suffered significant damage after striking a grove of trees that stripped the wings from the body. About 300 gallons of fuel were spilled in the crash.” Some dogs sustained physical injuries. The crash was reportedly “under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.” No additional information was available.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

WBRC.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies, including turning away animals, doing business as Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter had announced that it was “getting slammed with an overwhelming number of injured animals being brought in. The animals are strays, often hit by cars and picked up by strangers who bring them for vet care. Just in the last two weeks, people have brought in ten injured dogs, according to the shelter. The injuries range from broken legs to pelvic issues. One such case is a 50-pound lab-pit bull mix [who] has two broken hind legs and needs surgery.” (See the August 2022/Tuscaloosa, Alabama, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Columbia, South Carolina

TheState.com reported that a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Columbia Animal Services had been sued by a man who said he was attacked by a dog while trying to adopt from the facility. The plaintiff reportedly walked the dog and was then “led into a room with the dog without supervision and told to re-kennel the animal, then the dog ‘viciously attacked’ him, according to the complaint. [The plaintiff] was bit[ten] on the arm and hand, which was ‘mangled’ and the thumb nearly removed, the complaint adds.” According to the report, “The complaint was filed Nov. 9. The city has 30 days to respond.”

Gadsden, Alabama

ABC3340.com reported that after a facility with “no-kill” policies, which is partially funded with public monies and does business as Humane Society Pet Rescue and Adoption Center, had been refusing to accept animals, there had been a rise in animal attacks in the community. A local resident reportedly said, “Animals have been attacked by other animals. People walking their dogs have been attacked. We had a recent incident where a child was attacked.” According to the report, “After days of assessment, it was found that the humane society in the city was completely full” and had been turning away animals who were “now roaming the streets.” The mayor of Gadsden reportedly said, “We had a major issue because the humane society at the time would not accept any animals. They had closed because they were full.” The city formed a task force to address the issue.

West Olive, Michigan

MLive.com reported that 14 cats and two dogs had died in a fire at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Phaedra & Phriends. According to the report, animals were most likely suffering from various disabilities when a fire broke out at the private residence where they were confined. It wasn’t reported whether authorities were investigating.

Sacramento, California

FOX40.com reported that protesters had demonstrated at a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Front Street Animal Shelter. According to the report, they were “protesting what they described as a downward spiral of care” at the facility and were upset that animals were being turned away. One of the protesters said, “These animals have nowhere else to go.” She also said that the facility would not accept any cats who weren’t visibly ill or injured.

Daytona Beach, Florida

WESH.com reported that a spokesperson for an animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Halifax Humane Society said that the organization was “seeing a rise in dog bites and dogs coming in for various aggression reasons.” The group announced that it would no longer accept “dogs with a history of biting or aggressive behavior.” Its facility was also severely crowded with animals. According to the report, “The sounds of barking at Halifax Humane Society are overwhelming. Every single kennel is taken so the shelter is using crates” to house animals. At least one dog was reportedly confined to a crate in an office.

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Nebraska Humane Society had been turning away animals. The group reportedly “has a budget of $14 million per year, with about 40% coming from donations.” According to the report, a spokesperson for a self-professed animal “rescue” group in the area doing business as Muddy Paws Second Chance Rescue “said she receives calls every day from people who have tried to take a pet to the Humane Society and have been turned away.” She said her group keeps a waiting list to accept animals, which had increased recently and had “around 240” animals on it.

Lehigh Acres, Florida

WINKNews.com reported that “[t]he conditions in a Lehigh Acres home were so bad that a 16-year-old called the authorities for a welfare check on himself. At the home, Lee County deputies found urine-soaked floorboards and a buildup of feces at the home the teen shared with 13 dogs. The teen told authorities he resorted to using a respirator to breathe inside the home.” According to the report, authorities “seized all the dogs from the home,” one of whom the teen said had bitten him. He reportedly “told authorities he and the dogs have lived in those conditions for years.” The woman who owned the dogs, the child’s mother, was reportedly listed as a board member of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Cat Tails and More Inc. No additional information was available.

Madisonville, Tennessee

WATE.com reported that a publicly funded facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Monroe County Animal Shelter was full and had “more than 200 animals” on a waiting list. A spokesperson for the facility said that workers had “to figure out where we can put these animals. We have some in the kitchen.” It was also revealed that some dogs at the facility were being housed outdoors.

San Angelo, Texas

ConchoValleyHomepage.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” publicly funded animal shelter doing business as City of San Angelo Animal Services Division was full and had stopped accepting animals. The agency was reportedly asking residents to house animals found roaming outdoors in their own homes “for a few days” and search for the animals’ owners themselves.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in October 2022

Littlerock, California

LATimes.com reported that authorities had seized “nearly 200 cats and dozens of dogs and found several dead animals during a search” at a self-professed animal “rescue.” The name of the group wasn’t revealed, but it reportedly “operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.” According to authorities, “Findings in the facility included animals in inhumane living conditions and evidence of the practice of medical care without a veterinary license.” Criminal charges were being considered. No additional information was available.

Pontiac, Michigan

HometownLife.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center was full and turning away animals. According to the report, recently “a man dropped off eight kittens he said were feral, telling a staff member that if the shelter didn’t take care of the problem, he would. The shelter, which holds 130 cats and 150 dogs, was already full, but the employees took the kittens.” A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “We are getting a lot of calls, ‘I can’t keep my animal anymore, I need to bring [them] in and surrender.’ We can’t be like, ‘Come on in, we’ll find [the animal] another home.’ We don’t have space right now.” The report states, “Many animals at the shelter have medical ailments, respiratory illnesses and more.”

Penrose, Colorado

KOAA.com reported that authorities had seized “26 horses, one dog, one pot belly [sic] pig, and two exotic birds” from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Lucille’s Voice Animal Education & Emergency Rescue after reports were received alleging animal neglect and abuse at the property. According to the report, “Of the animals seized the pot belly [sic] pig was euthanized at a local facility after the recommendation of two on-scene veterinarians. Many of the horses the sheriff’s office recovered had serious medical and health issues and are being evaluated for treatment plans. Fremont County Sheriff’s Office said that some of the animals recovered were from as far away as Louisiana based on papers recovered on the property.” The investigation was ongoing.

Corpus Christi, Texas

KZTV10.com reported that a resident of a mobile home park said that “there are packs of dogs running around our neighborhood, and they are killing and eating cats. They’ve killed a duck. They’ve attacked an elderly woman out here.” A spokesperson for the city’s animal control department, which operates with “no-kill” policies and does business as Corpus Christi Animal Care Services, reportedly said that the department could pick up roaming animals found without a microchip—“however, whether or not they can bring [the animal] to [the public animal shelter] depends on whether there’s room.” He reportedly said that the department had received 17 calls from the neighborhood in the previous 30 days.

Houston, Texas

HoustonChronicle.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Harris County Pets had announced that it was full, would be giving dogs away “indefinitely,” and wouldn’t accept animals from residents who were unable or unwilling to care for them through November 4. After that date, the facility would accept only 30 surrendered animals each week.

North Palm Springs, California

People.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for six years at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Humane Society of the Desert. According to the report, he had been taken to the facility when he was 6 months old. He was described as “shy” and someone who would need a “patient, understanding adopter.”

Middleburg, Florida

News4JAX.com reported that a man was facing criminal charges after leaving three dogs for whom he could not care outside a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Safe Animal Shelter. The dogs had been left “in three separate cages with a handwritten note attached. The note listed the names of each dog and an apology for leaving the dogs there.” The report states, “One of the dogs was identified as a mixed breed in distress, so [he or she] was taken to a local veterinarian’s office for treatment but died on the way to the office. One of the other dogs started having a seizure but recovered. The [arrest] report also states that the third dog was suffering from significant hair loss due to a skin problem. According to the [arrest] report, all three dogs were dirty and covered in fleas. Clay County animal services took the two remaining dogs and determined the dog that had a seizure was suffering from epilepsy and hemorrhaging in one of [his or her] eyes. The other dog with widespread hair loss was diagnosed with mange.” Authorities identified the man by dusting the note he had left for fingerprints. After his arrest, he reportedly “said that he had previously tried to have Clay County Animal Services take the dogs but was denied because the shelter was at full capacity.” The facility has “no-kill” policies in place, including requiring appointments and fees before it will accept animals.

Polson, Montana

LeaderAdvertiser.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Mission Valley Animal Shelter was turning away animals and “fed up” that so many needed help. According to the report, “The shelter’s board announced … that beginning Nov. 1, the shelter will no longer accept stray animals” from several communities in the area. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that it had been at double its capacity for the entire summer and that it had “people finding stray dogs and wanting to bring them to the shelter but we’ve had to turn them away.” She added, “Same thing with cats.”

Canton Township, Ohio

CantonRep.com reported that authorities had seized 20 dogs and 17 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Pumpkin Pet Rescue. According to the report, the “rescue’s” owner was facing eight charges related to cruelty to animals. The animals were found to be malnourished and without access to food or water. Four of the dogs were in such bad shape that they required emergency veterinary care, and four cats were found dead. FOX8.com reported that Tanesha Lynn Gray was the owner of the self-professed “rescue,” which may also have been doing business as Punkin Pet Rescue.

Deerfield Beach, Florida

NBCMiami.com reported that authorities had seized “more than 100 cats from filthy conditions inside” a mobile home at the property of Nicole Dupras, the founder of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as White Angel Cat Rescue Inc. She was reportedly “facing animal deprivation charges.” An acquaintance reportedly called authorities “when she heard cats screeching while she was standing outside the house.” She said, “[Deputies] saw feces caked on the ground, cages on top of cages all the way to the ceiling. Their eyes were burning, they came out crying from the bad air.” Local10.com reported that the investigation had “led to a second suspect being busted for the same thing just a few doors down.” Another acquaintance reportedly said that Dupras “would ask for donations for cats she had rescued. ‘She would raise thousands of dollars, not only for vet bills, she would post up, oh, my car is broken down, I need help with my car, my repairs,’” she said. The acquaintances alleged that another woman, Alba San Lucas, worked with Dupras and was also hoarding animals. The investigation is apparently ongoing.

Elkins, West Virginia

TheInterMountain.com published a letter to the editor from a resident who alleged that a facility with “no-kill” policies that was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Randolph County Humane Society had refused to accept six kittens whose “eyes [were] barely open” after their homeless mother had been hit by a car and killed. The writer said that he was told by shelter staff “to try Tucker County. I told them I don’t drive. They still refused to take the kittens. I know most shelters are overwhelmed, but to refuse to take kittens they know are going to die is unconscionable.”

Versailles, Kentucky

WTVQ.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Woodford Humane Society was “operating at 170% capacity” and was turning away animals. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “[W]e have dogs living in crates in hallways, lobbies, and storage rooms. We have dogs doubled up in rooms and kennel runs.” According to the report, “[E]ffective immediately, the shelter is operating on a waitlist.” The spokesperson said that not all the dogs who had been scheduled to be surrendered that week had been taken to the facility. What happened to them evidently wasn’t known.

Heber City, Utah

KPCW.org reported that a public self-professed “no-kill rescue shelter” doing business as Heber Valley Animal Shelter was full and would no longer accept animals from people who were unable or unwilling to care for them. According to the report, a county council member said that residents expected the taxpayer-funded shelter to accept animals but that the facility was “basically full up. They have no room for more surrendered pets.”

Phoenix, Arizona

EastValleyTribune.com reported that two county-run animal shelters with “no-kill” policies doing business as Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) had “been at critical capacity for months,” according to a spokesperson for the agency. According to the report, a former volunteer alleged that MCACC “fails to provide proper medical and behavior care to animals” and cited a recent dog attack at the facility. The report states, “A veterinarian employed at the shelter for nine years was mauled by a dog ‘exhibiting signs of extreme kennel deterioration,’ according to [the former volunteer]. ‘As a result of the attack, both the vet who was attacked and another vet resigned immediately,’ [she] said. … The dog, Kronk, was taken to an office because ‘he was hyper-salivating, chasing his tail, and self-harming in his kennel,’ according to [the former volunteer].” GilbertSunNews.com reported that a homeless dog who had been warehoused at the facility for months suffered psychologically and became so agitated that he had to be euthanized. During his confinement, he was reportedly rarely removed from a kennel, had to be quarantined after he developed a respiratory infection, and started fighting with dogs in neighboring kennels. A March memo reportedly included the following notes: “very stressed, pupils dilated and red eyes, panting” and “[d]og is deteriorating in kennel and stressed out.” He was euthanized in May. The facility director reportedly said that “[s]taff cannot get to every dog in addition to their other duties.”

Atlanta, Georgia

WSBTV.com reported that animal shelters with “no-kill” policies in the area were “overrun with [companion animals], some of [whom] have been there for more than a year.” A public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as DeKalb County Animal Shelter was turning away animals, according to its website, and reportedly had “more than 500 dogs. Some of them are living in office space and temporary kennels placed in what was once a conference room.”

Las Vegas, Nevada

KTNV.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as The Animal Foundation had been cited by the city for “contract violations due to animal care standards.” According to the report, the violations included dirty cages and a lack of clean water. KTVZ.com later reported that 77 dogs at the facility were “showing signs of Canine Pneumovirus, a highly contagious respiratory illness.” One dog had become so ill with the disease that he had to be euthanized. 8NewsNow.com reported that after the disease outbreak, the facility had stopped accepting any animals and that “animal control doesn’t know what to do with stray dogs as other shelters remain at capacity.” A resident explained that she’d found two dogs in the middle of a busy road. She secured them in her car, called animal control, and “said she was told that ‘there’s really nowhere you can take them’ and to leave the dogs where she found them because the agency did not have anywhere it could take them to.” According to the report, “Her only option, besides leaving them, was to board them at a nearby vet. With no medical records for the two dogs, it cost her over $200 to vaccinate and board them for the night.” (See the September 2022/Las Vegas, Nevada, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Washington, D.C.

FOX5DC.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies—which was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA)—had allowed a “red listed” individual to foster a dog and puppies. The foster caregiver and her husband were later “charged with second-degree theft and animal cruelty” after they sold some of the puppies. The accused had reportedly obtained the animals from the facility in August using a fake name and identification. According to court documents, she’d told a facility representative that she planned to do so during a phone call in July, after a rabbit she’d been fostering allegedly died in her care, resulting in her being “red listed.” The report states, “[C]ourt documents claim, that [the accused] told the HRA, ‘you make it too easy to foster. I will come back in under a different name and identification and foster again.’” The dog she was given to foster was reportedly later found “tied to a fence several blocks away from” her home. A veterinarian who examined the dog said that “her body was in bad condition, she had dandruff, and was underweight when she was found.” Some puppies who’d been sold were tracked down and returned to the group, but two remained unaccounted for.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in September 2022

Long Island, New York

Connecticut.News12.com reported that two women, Crystal Cahill and Catherine Gropper, were facing cruelty-to-animals charges after they allegedly captured three cats in East Islip and then abandoned them in a park “several towns” away. The cats were abandoned in August and had reportedly not been found. According to the report, “Detectives say the two women were performing animal rescue work for the Trap, Neuter and Return program.” A court date was set in the case.

St. Albans, Vermont

VTDigger.org reported that several former employees as well as current and former volunteers of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Franklin County Animal Rescue had alleged that animals in the group’s custody were routinely neglected and denied adequate medical care. Allegations included allowing a kitten to suffer and die in a cage instead of providing euthanasia as recommended by a veterinarian and keeping a sick kitten who appeared to have neurological issues “in a kennel in the dark, at times sitting in his own feces.” In addition, a former volunteer reportedly said that “animals could go without water for at least 12 hours.” In areas of the shelter that were reportedly “inaccessible to the public, at least eight staff and volunteers described seeing what one called ‘disgustingly filthy’ conditions for animals.” According to the report, the group was “also facing allegations of negligence in an ongoing lawsuit filed in May 2021. The case centers around a dog … who was adopted from the shelter in late 2020 and who then mauled a 9-year-old girl the following February, leaving her with an injured arm and paralysis in her face.” The executive director of the state’s veterinary medical association reportedly said that she had advised a former volunteer “to file a professional complaint against [the group’s executive director, Jennifer Dean] personally, because a complaint about the shelter as a whole was likely to go nowhere under Vermont’s current laws.”

Blairsville, Pennsylvania

LatrobeBulletinNews.com reported that authorities were investigating “after a trailer filled with filth and sick and deceased cats” was found at a property belonging to Kimberly Rose, the founder and president of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Cat Aid Network. WPXI.com reported that approximately 70 cats had been removed from the property. A veterinarian who was treating the animals said that one cat was in such bad shape that he or she had died and that others were sick from living in “typical” hoarding conditions. The investigation was apparently ongoing.

Hermitage, Pennsylvania

SharonHerald.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Shenango Valley Animal Shelter was full and turning away cats. According to a spokesperson for the group, staff members recently found a suitcase on the property that contained five cats who had “suffered from fleas, anemia, emaciation, dehydration, and other issues.” She also revealed that many dogs held at the facility were on medication for anxiety or depression.

Houlton, Maine

NewsCenterMaine.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Houlton Humane Society was full and turning away animals. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that it had “nearly 40” animals on a waiting list and that board members were keeping animals at their homes because of severe crowding at the facility. According to the report, another self-professed “no-kill” facility in the area, doing business as Bangor Humane Society, was also full and had a waiting list to accept animals.

Kingman, Arizona

KDMiner.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Help Animals Live Today was full and turning away animals. According to the report, days after publicly posting that the facility was no longer accepting animals, a tote bag was left on the property containing 12 puppies. A spokesperson for the group said “it was lucky she found them in time because they were overheating on a hot summer day.” The report went on to explain, “Since it’s a no-kill facility, some animals are there for years or their entire life if they aren’t adopted.”

Des Moines, New Mexico

KOB.com reported that in June authorities had seized more than 100 dogs, more than 70 of whom were dead, after they had been found hoarded at the property of a self-professed animal “rescue.” Jessica Duncan and her boyfriend, Hayden Briesh, were reportedly “charged with extreme cruelty to animals” and were both “still on the run.” According to the report, “Deputies found small kennels in the property’s garage stacked three high, some with multiple dogs in them. Many were past the point of saving.” After entering the residence with a search warrant, a first responder reportedly said, “It is bad. It’s like chainsaw massacre but with dogs bad.” A spokesperson for another self-professed animal “rescue” group said that the couple had been “advertising a big dog rescue on social media” and that three dogs she’d removed from a municipal shelter doing business as Portales Animal Control Shelter had “somehow ended up” at the hoarded property. She reportedly said that “there’s a process for some dogs” and that “they’ll go from one rescue group to another before reaching their final destination.” The search for the suspects was ongoing.

Conroe, Texas

CommunityImpact.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Montgomery County Animal Shelter routinely turned away and refused to pick up animals. Several residents reportedly spoke at a recent public meeting, “saying they had issues with the shelter’s refusal to take in animals. One speaker, Tara Tennant, told commissioners that the shelter not picking up animals was leading to ‘public safety issues.’ ‘Taxpayers are turned away in person, over the phone or through canceled appointments,’ Tennant said.” The animal services director reportedly told county commissioners in February that crowding at the facility “had led shelter staff to ask callers with stray animals if they could hold on to them for two weeks.” A commissioner “branded those actions as ‘unacceptable’ at the time.” At the September meeting, commissioners voted to task the county judge with overseeing operations at the facility.

Austin, Texas

AustinMonitor.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Austin Animal Center had “more than 700 animals, including 67 dogs [who] are staying in pop-up wire crates because all other kennels are full” and had stopped accepting animals. It was reportedly the third time that the facility had halted intake. (See the June 2022/Austin, Texas, entry below for more details.)

El Paso, Texas

ElPasoInc.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as El Paso Animal Services was crowded and filthy. According to the report, “In addition, dogs infected with the contagious parvovirus and living in dirty kennels have created unsanitary conditions at the shelter.” A former longtime volunteer at the facility reportedly said, “There was a dog [who] had diarrhea, and the bottom of the kennel was disgusting. The dog was clearly sick, and [he or she] later tested positive for parvo.” She said the contagiously ill puppy had been moved to an enclosure next to evidently healthy puppies because “there was a lack of space.” The facility’s director reportedly said that “maintaining a no-kill shelter has been hard” and that the facility’s “budget this year is more than $9 million.” (See the September 2020/El Paso, Texas, entry below and PETA’s action alert here for more details about this facility.)

Natchez, Mississippi

NatchezDemocrat.com reported that the city’s mayor had expressed frustration because the group that held a contract to house animals for the city—a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Natchez Adams County Humane Society—was turning them away. In a meeting, the mayor reportedly said, “During the last three months, they (Natchez-Adams County Humane Society) have declined to take a single animal brought to them by the city. What are we supposed to do when our Humane Society, which we help fund with taxpayer dollars, refuses to take a single animal from animal control?” The city’s animal control officer was reportedly housing some animals at his personal residence.

Mentor, Ohio

WLWT.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for seven years—his entire life—at a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Lake Humane Society. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that the dog had been transferred to the facility as a puppy from another group and that he couldn’t be placed in a home with other animals.

Columbiana, Alabama

SouthernLiving.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter partially funded with public money and doing business as Shelby Humane Society had announced that it was “so overcrowded” that dogs were being housed outdoors in black metal crates. According to the report, “the shelter wrote alongside a video of the overflow of pups. ‘These dogs are in these kennels day and night.’” The group reportedly had approximately 700 animals in its custody.

Summerville, South Carolina

Live5News.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies partially funded with public money and doing business as Dorchester Paws was “placing another stop on accepting new dogs into the shelter. This is the shelter’s fourth moratorium in 2022.” The facility was full, and “hallways at the shelter [were] lined with pop-ups because of the number of animals in their care.”

Escambia County, Florida

NorthEscambia.com reported that a cat who was being fostered through a group doing business as Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter had been found dead in a vehicle. The foster caregiver had allegedly “suffered a medical emergency” while in the car with the cat. A spokesperson for the group said the cat “came in as a stray in late July.” No additional information was available.

Broward County, Florida

WSVN.com reported that some police departments were reporting that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Broward County Animal Care and Adoption had been “turning away injured dogs.” According to the report, “Hallandale Beach City commissioners got this letter from a police captain. He writes he found it ‘… very disturbing …’ when animal services refused to respond to help a ‘mortally injured dog with wounds infested with flies and maggots.’” It was also alleged that the facility had refused to pick up a stray dog, who ended up being housed by a police department “in a makeshift outdoor pen” until she started to overheat and was moved “into a city jail cell.” The facility also tried to deny entry to a dog who had nearly drowned in a canal before being rescued by Davie Police officers. In Hallandale Beach, after a small dog being walked on a leash was mauled to death by a roaming pit bull, “[p]olice say they called animal services repeatedly, but the dangerous dog wasn’t picked up until four days later.” Speaking about the shelter’s director, a Hallandale Beach commissioner reportedly said, “If the county’s not going to hold her accountable, we’re going to make sure that she’s accountable.” (See the July 2022/Fort Lauderdale, Florida, entry below for more details.)

Henderson, Kentucky

TriStateHomepage.com reported that 16 kittens crammed into one plastic carrier had been left outside a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as New Hope Animal Rescue Center LLC. According to the report, the facility was “way over [its] limit of animals” and had “a waiting list of kittens who were waiting to be surrendered.”

Gulfport, Mississippi

WLOX.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as the Humane Society of South Mississippi was full and had stopped accepting animals. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that intake was “backed up until Dec. 15 to accept dogs, and Nov. 23 for cats.” According to the report, many animals were confined to “[b]lack wire crates [that] line the hallway” at the facility. The spokesperson said that “when all of our kennel spaces and kennel rooms are full, there are no other options.”

San Angelo, Texas

SanAngeloLive.com reported that the city had recently announced that it had closed the public animal shelter, doing business as San Angelo Animal Services, to address an infestation of cockroaches. According to the report, “What was not revealed until now was the complete filth inside of the shelter and it involved more than just cockroaches.” The report included graphic photos of animals in filthy conditions and cockroaches covering surfaces. Less than a year earlier, the city announced that it had become “an official no-kill community.” According to the SanAngeloLive.com report, “Over the past few years San Angelo’s shelter has attempted to be a no-kill shelter. Since that time the shelter has been over populated, has had outbreak in various diseases, and now has had an extreme bug infestation.” MyFOXZone.com reported that city leaders were implementing new policies in an attempt to reduce crowding and improve conditions.

Sandusky County, Ohio

TheNews-Messenger.com reported that a public facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as the Sandusky County Dog Shelter had been turning away dogs “all summer” from residents who were unable or unwilling to care for them. The county’s dog warden reportedly “related a recent incident in which a woman contacted her office to pick up a dog the woman claimed she had found tied to her front porch that morning. When dog wardens read the dog’s embedded microchip, they called the original owner, who told them that she had given the dog for the woman to adopt the night before.” A spokesperson for a private facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Humane Society of Sandusky County Inc. reportedly said that the facility had “been full for well over two years” and had hundreds of animals on a waiting list. (See the August 2022/Sandusky County, Ohio, entry below for more details.)

Pasco County, Florida

WFLA.com reported that authorities had seized 35 cats and two dogs from a couple who had been living in a U-Haul that had been “reported stolen out of Newport, New Hampshire.” According to the report, “Deputies found that [Steven Martel], his wife and a 72-year-old woman were living in the van with two dogs and 35 cats who were ‘living on top of each other’. Deputies said they observed ‘up to eight’ cats in some of the cages. The van reportedly reeked of urine and the cats were packed in so tightly that many had yellow-stained fur and open sores ‘from being soaked in urine for an extended amount of time.’ According to the affidavit, Martel and his wife claimed they were running an animal shelter out of the van called ‘Veterans Paws For Hope.’” The affidavit reportedly “said that the 72-year-old woman was found with ‘large open sores’ on her legs” and that emergency room doctors “told deputies she likely had a bone infection from the sores and suffered from other ailments as a result of living in the van.” Martel was reportedly “charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, neglect of an elderly adult and 35 counts of animal cruelty.”

Katy, Texas

KatyMagazineOnline.com reported that area animal shelters, evidently with “no-kill” policies, were full and that a spokesperson for an anti-cruelty taskforce said that around 20 animals every week were being found abandoned in residences after evictions and “what they call ‘safe haven’ locations like vet offices.” A spokesperson for a self-professed “no-kill” group in the area doing business as Special Pals said, “We receive hundreds of requests to turn in a pet every week,” but the group was also full.

Salisbury, Maryland

WMDT.com reported that a man had been convicted of cruelty to animals after a kitten he’d adopted from a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Worcester County Humane Society had been found dead in a box on the side of a road. According to the report, “a necropsy revealed that the kitten’s cause of death was blunt force trauma and strangulation.” A microchip identified the adopter, who “was sentenced to 180 days in jail with all but 60 days suspended to be served on house arrest.” He would also “be prohibited from possessing, owning, or residing with animals for five years.”

Osteen, Florida

WESH.com reported that authorities had seized 13 live dogs, an unspecified number of ducks, and a horse from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Wet Nose Big Heart Animal Rescue. According to the report, “Officials with Volusia County Animal Services said the animals were living in terrible circumstances. All of them were sick and suffering, and one of the dogs was dead.” A field supervisor for the agency reportedly said that animals found were suffering from “[s]evere malnutrition, lack of appropriate care, lack of cleanliness” and that several had required “surgery due to parasites, skin issues and infections. ‘No fresh or clean water, no evidence of food, nothing that you would expect an animal to need or be appropriate to provide was observed or present at the scene,’” she said. The dead dog was found dead in the yard at the property. The investigation was ongoing.

Las Vegas, Nevada

NevadaCurrent.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as The Animal Foundation (TAF) in Las Vegas routinely transfers animals to self-professed “rescue” groups that often warehouse them, sometimes for years, at area boarding kennels. According to the report, “TAF has no protocol for following up on the fate of transferred animals, but the transfers are counted in the shelter’s favor when it tracks so-called ‘positive placements’ or ‘live outcomes.’” The report described one of the dogs: “Beast [is] a 2 year-old pit bull and mastiff mix [who] spends most of his time confined to a small room with a concrete floor. The sand pit he uses to relieve himself is also where he sleeps …. The small window in the door to Beast’s room is smeared with excrement.” It went on to reveal that “volunteers who walk Beast and take him for enrichment training once a week say the animal is distraught from isolation and yearning for contact.” (See the March 2022/Las Vegas, Nevada, entry below for more information about this TAF.)

Indianapolis, Indiana

IndyStar.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Indianapolis Animal Care Services was “beyond full” and had “dogs lined up in crates in the hallway right now,” according to a spokesperson. The report said that the facility was “taking in fewer animals than years prior,” because of “no-kill” policies, including requiring appointments to accept animals and telling residents to house stray animals themselves. (See the August 2022/Indianapolis, Indiana, entry below for more information about this facility.)

Buffalo, New York

WGRZ.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” group doing business as Queen City Pitties Animal Rescue had at least 30 dogs on a waiting list. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said, “We get about 20 to 30 emails, Instagram messages, Facebook messages weekly just asking for help returning their dog, surrendering their dog.” They were apparently being turned away. Two additional self-professed animal “rescues” in the area were also turning away animals.

Florence, South Carolina

ABCNews4.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for his entire life at a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Florence Area Humane Society. According to the report, “Staff said he arrived when he was just a baby,” almost two years earlier. At some point, he had apparently contracted heartworms and been treated.

Charleston, West Virginia

WCHSTV.com reported that a self-professed “life-saving shelter” doing business as Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association was full and considering turning away animals. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that adult dogs were being housed “everywhere—the puppy room, the cat room, even our employee bathrooms.”

Wilson, North Carolina: ABC11.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as For the Love of Dogs Inc. had failed repeated state inspections. According to the report, “Four inspections this year repeatedly found the shelter out of compliance for multiple items ranging from buildings maintenance to sanitation.” One of the inspections reportedly “noted, ‘The continuation of unsanitary conditions, due to the inability to adequately perform daily operations in the Gray Building, is grossly evident.’” State authorities reportedly “said the shelter had until last Friday to respond to a letter of intent to not renew their shelter registration.” RestorationNewsMedia.com reported that there were approximately 58 dogs at the property and that one of the group’s owners said some of them couldn’t be transferred “because of the behavior that they have.” The other owner said that he “has dementia and has trouble remembering things” and “would love to get arrested.”

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in August 2022

Silverdale, Washington

KitsapSun.com published a letter to the editor by a Port Orchard resident who alleged that a facility with “no-kill” policies that was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Kitsap Humane Society had refused to accept a homeless cat she’d taken to the facility for care. According to the writer, a “Humane Society representative came out and told me that they only had 8 feral cat kennels, which were full, and that it would be over a week before they could assist me. I told them I could not care for the animal and they said my alternatives were to find a ‘trailer park’ to dump the cat off at or euthanize [him] myself.”

York, Pennsylvania

WGAL.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescuer” had alleged that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as York County SPCA had refused to accept 13 cats and three dogs from a property after the owner of the animals had been evicted. The report said, “According to the York County animal warden, cats are not considered personal property and if there’s nowhere for them to go—in this case the SPCA—they are simply released and left to fend for themselves.” The “rescuer” said that on a previous occasion, she “took 7 cats, 3 dogs, a snake, a rabbit and a duck” from the same property. According to the report, “Three dogs were also rescued and returned to the owners—although the animal warden does admit the dogs were in poor condition, she has no authority to remove them. That’s the role of the SPCA, but they weren’t available.”

Aurora, Colorado

AuroraGov.org reported that a public facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Aurora Animal Shelter was full and would “no longer accept” dogs from residents who couldn’t or wouldn’t care for them any longer “until further notice.”

Big Spring, Texas

KBST.com reported that city leaders had approved the first reading of a resolution that would halt “no-kill” policies at the public animal shelter, which was full. According to the report, “Several community members spoke in favor of ending the no-kill policy at the Big Spring Animal Shelter. Two of the people who commented on the topic had actually been attacked by stray dogs.”

Indianapolis, Indiana

FOX59.com reported that “a man and woman from Indianapolis are under arrest after allegedly hanging and stabbing a dog … they had adopted from an Indianapolis shelter.” According to the report, the public animal shelter, which has “no-kill” policies and does business as Indianapolis Animal Care Services, had “confirmed the dog, Deron, was adopted from their care on July 28,” apparently when the facility was giving away dogs for free in what was called “walk-up adoptions.” It was also revealed that “background checks are not required for animal adoption.” WTHR.com reported that authorities had spoken to witnesses who said “they saw a man holding a knife while the dog was hanging from the front porch by a leash. The witness told police the man stabbed the dog and then placed a trash bag over the dog’s head. The witness said three people were outside watching as the man stabbed, suffocated and tortured the dog. Another witness told police they saw a man stabbing a dog [who] was hanging by [his] neck on the front porch. According to court documents, the witness said another man told the witness to mind their own business.” It was later reported that two additional people had been charged in connection to the case and that a second dog who had been adopted at the same time had been found alive by authorities. The surviving dog was taken back to the shelter.

Raleigh County, West Virginia

Register-Herald.com reported that “Raleigh County and the city of Beckley are looking into plans for how to address the growing number of stray animals in the county now that many are being turned away from the county’s only animal shelter,” which was operated by a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Humane Society of Raleigh County Inc. According to a spokesperson for the group, “the city and the county stopped their monthly payments” to the group after animal control officers were turned away from the facility. County and city leaders were considering a plan to construct and operate a government-run animal shelter.

Terryville, Connecticut

NBCConnecticut.com reported that a spokesperson for a self-professed “non-destroy” shelter doing business as Animal Rescue Foundation Inc. said that the facility was full and turning away animals. According to the report, “Employees field five to six calls a day of people looking to surrender their dogs.” The spokesperson said that often animals were “just tossed over” the fence at the facility. “Every one of our kennels is full. So, people call us and ask for help, but unfortunately, I don’t have the space. We have a waitlist,” she said. She said that a dog who was recently left outside the facility was “blind, diabetic, and suffering from pancreatitis.” The dog was reportedly receiving veterinary care.

Sandusky County, Ohio

WTOL.com reported that all animal shelters in the area were full and turning away animals. The public animal shelter doing business as Sandusky County Dog Shelter had reportedly stopped accepting dogs from residents who couldn’t or wouldn’t care for them any longer. According to the report, “Many dog owners who can’t surrender their dogs have been abandoning them.”

Jackson, Mississippi

DarkHorsePressNow.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi had revealed that after the facility turned away a woman who could no longer care for a young, very thin dog, “the woman became angry and took the leash off of the puppy and threw him into the road.” According to a spokesperson for the facility, the puppy was nearly hit by a car “several times.” The group ultimately took in the dog. No additional information was available.

Heard County, Georgia

FOX5Atlanta.com reported that authorities had seized more than 200 dogs from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Dogs Rock Rescue after they were found in conditions described as “deplorable.” According to the report, “Deputies raided the Dogs Rock Rescue after county animal control officers discovered what they said appeared to be deplorable conditions on the property including dead dogs, emaciated dogs, diseased dogs, and dehydrated and hungry dogs. Investigators said they found a fire pit, where deputies said they found 20 canine skulls with evidence of bullet wounds. ‘Some of the skulls had holes in them commensurate to a possible .22 (caliber),’ said Heard County Sheriff’s Lt. Dan Boswell.” The group had reportedly “recently taken about 40 dogs from the Clayton County animal shelter.” Its owner, Wendy Brewer, faced felony cruelty-to-animals charges. It was later reported that Deanalyn Reign, an “associate” of the “rescue,” had been arrested in connection to the case. According to the report, she had “a criminal past for animal abuse in Alabama.” A spokesperson for the Heard County Sheriff’s Office reportedly said that “she was given two years probation … and some classes that she had to take. And that same year in Connecticut, she was stopped on Interstate-95 by Connecticut state troopers. And they recovered 20 dogs—correction, 30 dogs—that were stacked in crates inside a van.”

Palatka, Florida

FirstCoastNews.com reported that a public animal shelter that claimed to be a “no-kill” shelter doing business as Putnam County Animal Control was full and not accepting animals.

El Paso, Texas

KVIA.com reported that a spokesperson for a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Animal Rescue League of El Paso said that animals were routinely left outside the turn-away facility, apparently after hours. According to the spokesperson, video surveillance had recently captured footage of a woman leaving a cat outside the facility. The animal was later found dead after having been hit by a car on a nearby road. The spokesperson also reportedly said that a box of kittens who’d been left outside the facility had been found after they’d apparently all died. She said that animal adoption groups in the area all had waiting lists to accept animals and that the public animal shelter, which has “no-kill” policies, wouldn’t accept animals from people who couldn’t or wouldn’t care for them any longer.

Sumter County, Florida

TheVillagesDailySun.com reported that county leaders had unanimously voted to rescind an earlier resolution to operate the county’s public animal shelter with dangerous and inhumane “no-kill” policies and instead embrace a socially conscious sheltering model. The decision came after commissioners visited the facility, which had reportedly crowded 143 dogs into a space “designed for 54 kennels.” One county commissioner said, “My worst day was the day I went to the animal shelter.” He was reportedly “visibly upset in describing dogs, such as ‘Noah,’ who has endured 530 days in confined captivity. ‘In our efforts to be humane, we’ve not been,’ he said.” A report by the assistant county manager reportedly revealed that the “overcrowding has increased concerns about sanitation and safety, including at least 13 people being bit[ten].”

Jackson, Tennessee

WBBJTV.com reported that a public, self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Jackson Animal Care Center had announced that it was full and required people to be put on a waiting list in order to surrender animals they couldn’t or wouldn’t care for. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that animals were being left outside by people who couldn’t wait and that animals had been left tied outside or left “in a box on the sidewalk” by people after they were told that they needed an appointment. “I currently have four dogs in my storage room in crates because I don’t have an open kennel available [and] 17 dogs in our puppy room [who] haven’t finished their quarantine yet,” she said.

Opelousas, Louisiana

DailyWorld.com reported that a public, self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as St. Landry Parish Animal Control was full and turning away animals. According to the report, “Since the denial by shelter officials to accept any new pets, [shelter director Terri Courvelle] said many people attempting to deposit unwanted dogs at the shelter have become irate. ‘A lot of them wind up screaming at me,’ Courvelle said. ‘They think because we are trying to run a no-kill shelter that they can just come and drop off their animals.” Animals had reportedly been left outside the facility, and “Courvelle said she has brought 23 dogs home with her, since the kennels at the shelter remain full.”

Niles, Ohio

WKBN.com reported that authorities had seized 44 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Niles Cat Crusade after they were found in conditions described as “horrendous.” Humane agents reportedly said that they would have to return to remove more animals. According to the report, cats were found “in feces-filled traps” and kittens were found in filthy cages. Cats had reportedly been confined to box traps “for weeks on end,” according to a spokesperson for a nonprofit group involved in the seizure. “There was severe urine scalding from them being in their own urine. Many of the cats also had severe matting of feces all around them,” she said. Many of the animals were in such bad shape that they had to be euthanized. Charges were reportedly pending in the case. According to a later report, the seized cats required treatment for “respiratory illness due to the air quality inside the home. Some are being treated for severe flea infestation while others have open sores and abscesses from being in their own urine and feces for an extended period of time.”

Orlando, Florida

ClickOrlando.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Orange County Animal Services had “hundreds of animals stored at the shelter.” The facility was reportedly so full that it was crowding “two to three dogs in a single kennel. [At one point], 209 dogs were [being] housed at Animal Services. Usually, capacity is about 175 dogs.” A spokesperson for the facility said, “Anytime you do that, you have a risk for potential kennel fights or spread for disease.” The facility was reportedly giving away dogs. OrlandoSentinel.com reported that the facility had “stopped taking appointments … for pet owners to give up animals they can’t keep” and “shuttered an online ‘surrender’ portal for pet owners.” According to the report, the facility sent an e-mail saying that large dogs were “tripled up” in kennels.

Mohawk, New York

MyLittleFalls.com reported that a spokesperson for a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Herkimer County Humane Society said that it was “at full capacity, with more people calling every day to surrender animals.” A spokesperson for the group said it had “just started page 11 in a full-sized legal pad [list] of people looking to surrender their animals to us.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group reportedly said that cruelty-to-animals and neglect cases were apparently increasing in the area.

Greenville, South Carolina

WSPA.com reported that “both the Greenville and Spartanburg Humane Societies are full. [A spokesperson for the group] said the Spartanburg Humane Society has a waitlist to surrender an animal. As of right now, there are 135 names on it.” A puppy was reportedly recovering at the Greenville Humane Society after being found apparently abandoned in a dumpster. Animals have routinely been found left outside the Spartanburg Humane Society. Both facilities have “no-kill” policies.

Alpharetta, Georgia

AppenMedia.com reported that a dog who was being fostered for a self-professed animal “rescue” in Atlanta had attacked another dog at a park in Alpharetta. The owner of the dog who was attacked reportedly sustained “a minor hand laceration, but her dog was rushed to an emergency veterinarian with a punctured lung.” According to the report, the foster dog “was taken into custody by the agency for Fulton County Animal Services after the attack.” No additional information was available.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

WPDE.com reported that an animal shelter with “no-kill” policies that was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Grand Strand Humane Society was full and turning away animals. After two dogs were left outside the facility with a note, a spokesperson reportedly said, “We have had dozens of pets abandoned around our facility over the past couple of weeks and more than once, we almost found them too late.”

Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

OKCFOX.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Saving Hope Animal Rescue in Texas said that it had sent at least five animals to an Oklahoma property where authorities had found 11 dead dogs and seized six live dogs, two cats, an unspecified number of chickens, a lizard, and a snake. Meaghan Darling and Ryan Greene, who claimed to be dog trainers, were facing charges of animal neglect in connection to the case. Dogs found dead were in stacked crates in a hot shed without adequate water, according to officials and court records. According to a statement by the “rescue” group, all the animals who had been sent to the property died there.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

WBRC.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter had been turning away animals and that people had been leaving them outside the facility, often in dangerous situations. According to a public post by the group, these animals included a kitten who was left in a box with a note. The kitten escaped from the box and was found by a staff member near a road. A dog was found tied to a pole on the property, and another dog was left tied to the facility’s door “using trash bags.” The latter escaped and was apparently hit by a car on a nearby road. According to the facility, “The shelter takes in owner surrenders by appointment only. We stay so full that these appointments are sometimes months out.”

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in July 2022

Mayfield, New York

News10.com reported that authorities had seized 52 dogs, including two found dead, and an unspecified number of rabbits, “a horse, and bloated goats” from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Kelly’s Haven for Friends and Animal Rescue Inc. According to the report, “A press release from area shelters describes the conditions as filthy and uninhabitable. The property has been condemned.” CBS6Albany.com later reported that “rescue” owner Susan Kelly had been arrested and charged with “55 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse charges.”

St. Peters, Missouri

WFTV.com reported that 10 puppies had drowned in a flood at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Stray Paws Rescue. According to the report, fire crews were able to remove 15 adult dogs from the flooded building. No additional information was available.

Blue Ridge, Texas

NBCDFW.com reported that “about two dozen dogs” and a human had died in a fire at a residence that was being used as a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Chloe’s Pet Rescue. During the fire, propane tanks on the property reportedly exploded. According to the report, 34 animals survived. No additional information was available.

Los Angeles, California

CBSNews.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Los Angeles Animal Services had been warehousing dogs in severely crowded conditions. A volunteer at the facility said that a dog who “had been at the shelter for more than a year and had not been walked in three weeks” had attacked her when she tried to walk him, severing an artery in her hand. According to the report, “Last week, CBSLA reported on heartbreaking images posted to social media by volunteers [at] LA city animal shelters of dogs being left for weeks, even months at a time in their kennels without going for walks. [The volunteer who was attacked] said she saw dogs go cage crazy. ‘Sometimes they just spin in their kennels. They bark. They jump incessantly. Sometimes, they injure themselves by rubbing their noses against the cage.’” The dog who attacked her was later euthanized.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Sun-Sentinel.com reported that residents and former volunteers were speaking out about “turn-away” policies at a public facility doing business as Broward County Animal Care. Complaints included that the facility wouldn’t accept homeless animals found by residents, including a dog who was rescued after she was found wandering along an interstate highway by a Hallandale Beach city commissioner. The commissioner said she “threatened to call the county administrator’s office the next morning” and explained that the county facility is funded with tax dollars. The dog was eventually admitted. Residents who needed to surrender animals to the facility were reportedly required to wait 30 days, a dangerous policy that often results in the abandonment, neglect, or cruel killing of the animals. A local resident said that workers were “telling people who call about a lost dog to just leave [the animal] on the street,” and a former volunteer explained, “When people get turned away at the Broward shelter, the dogs end up in the woods, in the Everglades, on street corners.” Officials with other cities in the county had also spoken out against the dangerous policies.

Rochester, New York

RochesterFirst.com reported, “Many protestors gathered outside Verona Street Animal Shelter Saturday to demand that Rochester Animal Services take in stray and abandoned animals. According to the protestors, the shelter’s director, Chris Fitzgerald, allegedly implemented a secret policy called the HASS model that would allow them to close their doors to these animals. This policy also instructs volunteers and employees to tell callers to leave these animals alone or to call rescue services.” Protesters also reportedly said that city officials, including the mayor, “have ignored or refused to do anything about this situation.”

El Dorado Hills, California

MTDemocrat.com reported that authorities had arrested Sandra Sharlene Tidwell, the owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Sierra Nevada German Shepherd Rescue, on felony cruelty-to-animals charges. According to a news release issued by El Dorado County Animal Services, authorities responded to “multiple complaints regarding a stench of feces from the residence.” When a search warrant was served, officials found “approximately 25 dogs, including puppies, both living and deceased, [who] were removed from the residence …. The living canines were transported to the county animal shelter, where they are currently undergoing care and rehabilitation.” No additional information was available.

Saginaw, Michigan

OurMidland.com reported that a spokesperson for a nonprofit group with “no-kill” policies doing business as The Humane Society of Saginaw County Inc. said that area residents had told workers that they had been “letting their animals go, because they don’t want them anymore and all the shelters are full and won’t take them.” According to the spokesperson, animal abandonment was increasing in the community. She also revealed that she had 90 cats at her own residence.

Henrietta, Texas

TexomasHomepage.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for 10 years at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Clay County Animal Shelter Inc. According to the report, the dog had been “found as a heartworm-positive stray” and had been taken to the facility when she was approximately 12 months old.

Georgetown, South Carolina

WPDE.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” polices, partially funded with public monies, and doing business as Saint Frances Animal Center was full and turning away animals. According to the report, “[T]he shelter is also exceeding its annual budget of $1.1 million.”

Township of Toms River, New Jersey

Patch.com reported that township officials were investigating after receiving complaints about how animals were being handled at a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Toms River Animal Control and Services. Complaints reportedly included allegations that shelter workers had turned away homeless cats and that residents had been told the animals “should just be left to nature running its course.”

Yakima, Washington

NBCRightNow.com reported that an animal shelter with “no-kill” policies that was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Yakima Humane Society was urging people to stop using the shelter’s services. According to the report, the facility posted a public message saying that animals had been abandoned outside the building, “turned loose at the door,” and left in crates outside on the sidewalk. The message also said that people had left animals in the lobby after “cussing out staff.” The message claimed that the facility was full.

Norfolk, Virginia

PilotOnline.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Norfolk Animal Care Center had been cited by state authorities for failing to provide animals with “adequate and appropriate veterinary care.” According to the report, “Inspectors found an animal in the shelter [who] had been limping for a week and another [who] had been dragging [his or her] back legs for several days. Neither had received veterinary care, in violation of state rules.” They also reportedly “found cats being co-housed in isolation rooms meant for only one animal,” and other animals had been placed in isolation without having received state-required veterinary care.

St. Louis, Missouri

STLToday.com published an op-ed by a resident who described several examples of ways in which “no-kill” policies at the St. Louis city and county animal shelters were harming animals and endangering the public. Examples included recent attacks by packs of dogs (one of which was fatal), animals who were left in abusive homes because there was no room at the shelter to house them, and residents who were told to leave homeless animals on the streets. The writer asserted, “I regard ‘no-kill’ as a misnomer anyway, because no-kill shelters turn away hundreds of dogs and cats [who] end up dying on the street.”

Helena, Montana

HelenaIR.com reported that an animal shelter with “no-kill” policies that is partially funded with public monies and doing business as Lewis and Clark Humane Society was full and turning away animals from residents who couldn’t—or wouldn’t—care for them any longer. The group was reportedly telling people to find new homes for animals themselves through social media and to try to locate the owners of lost or abandoned animals.

Tucson, Arizona

MarketWatch.com reported that a spokesperson for a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Pima Animal Care Center had “said that every dog kennel in the shelter—both public and non-public—was full. About 10 additional dogs were in pop-up crates in a multi-purpose room, while approximately 40 dogs were being held in office spaces and meet-and-greet rooms.”

Corpus Christi, Texas

KIIITV.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Corpus Christi Animal Care Services was turning away animals. Local residents reportedly said that other shelters and adoption groups in the area were doing the same.

Port Huron, Michigan

TheTimesHerald.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as St. Clair County Animal Control “had stopped allowing” residents to surrender animals to the facility because it was full. A spokesperson for a local humane society said it receives calls from residents seeking help but that that facility also turns away animals: “We’ll get a call saying, ‘I found a cat and [she] had kittens,’ but other shelters are full and we are full, so there’s no place for these animals to go.” She also said that when turned away, people “curse us out and call us names… Then they threaten to throw the kittens in a field, shoot them or poison them.”

Savage, Minnesota

FOX9.com reported that authorities had seized “20 to 40 rabbit carcasses” from a property described as an animal “rescue” and “sanctuary” doing business as Peacebunny Cottage. According to the report, a search warrant “list[ed] dead rabbits, rats, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate food and water found at the facility” and the Minnesota Federated Humane Societies publicly posted that “feces were piled so high that the animals were tunneling through it.” KSTP.com reported that the owner of the property “estimated there were about 200 rabbits in the barn,” where sick, injured, and dead animals were found. According to the report, “Detectives state in the warrant two adult rabbits, 16 baby rabbits and 20-40 rabbit carcasses were seized in the search.” An investigation was apparently ongoing.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in June 2022

Newport, Tennessee

WVLT.tv reported that a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Friends Animal Shelter of Cocke County had ended its contract with the county to provide animal-sheltering services. According to the report, the group “had received inquiries from county commissioners asking why they were refusing animals” and the facility was so crowded that employees were taking animals to their personal residences because there was no room to house them professionally. In a letter sent to the county mayor, the group’s board of directors said, “Lately and more frequently, we have had to tell residents that our facility was full to capacity and we were unable to take animals that they wanted to surrender. It’s a daily struggle working with the county’s animal control officer to ensure space will be available.” No additional information was available.

Gainesville, Florida

AlachuaCounty.us reported that the county’s public self-professed “no-kill” shelter doing business as Alachua County Animal Resources & Care had stopped accepting homeless animals and animals from owners who couldn’t—or wouldn’t—care for them any longer. It wasn’t known how long the facility would be turning them away. Residents who found animals in need of aid were told to care for them themselves or try to track down owners, including by using social media, among other irresponsible and dangerous suggestions.

Eugene, Oregon

KATU.com reported that a cat named Phoenix had been adopted out twice over a period of just months by a self-professed “life saving organization” doing business as Greenhill Humane Society. According to the report, he had been returned both times because “his medical needs were too much for the adopters.” When he was first admitted to the group’s facility in October 2021, he was reportedly “underweight, barely had any fur due to an allergic reaction, flea-infested and had a bad ear infection.” He was adopted out a third time.

Kankakee, Illinois

CBSNews.com reported that a dog named Cindy Lou had been warehoused for six years at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Kankakee County Humane Foundation. According to the report, she had been at the facility for her entire life. A spokesperson for the facility said that it was not safe for her to be around other animals.

Alpena, Michigan

TheAlpenaNews.com reported that a spokesperson for a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Alpena County Animal Facility said that animal hoarding cases in the region had increased. “‘There are plenty of known cases that we simply can’t take care of right now because we don’t have the room for those animals,’ she said. ‘We simply can’t take care of them because we simply don’t have the room.’” According to the report, a county commissioner said that animals were being housed unnecessarily “for long periods of time” at the facility, which was apparently a contributing factor.

Chester, South Carolina

WBTV.com reported that authorities had seized 54 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Cat’s Paw Rescue South Carolina after they were found hoarded in “what’s being called extremely unlivable conditions.” According to the report, “Everyone in the house was arrested,” including Channing, Evelyn, and Christine Collinge. All three were reportedly charged with ill-treatment of animals. One cat in extremely bad shape died while being transported to the public animal shelter. Animal Control Director Kelli Simoneau said that litterboxes were overflowing at the “rescue” and that any water available to the animals was “dirty.” The animals were also teeming with fleas, and some evidently had such severe upper respiratory infections that “[y]ou could hear them breathing.”

Cottonwood Heights, Utah

KSLTV.com reported that authorities had charged Kaiden Orie Graham “with four counts of torture of a companion animal, each a third-degree felony” after he had allegedly “adopted and abused animals for over a year.” According to the report, a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Humane Society of Utah had repeatedly adopted dogs to Graham, even though they were later returned in poor shape and with traumatic injuries. Among the dogs who were found by authorities at Graham’s address or returned to the adoption group were animals who suffered from dehydration, broken bones (including one who had a broken jaw), “severe head trauma that had caused blindness,” a spinal injury, extreme weight loss, and “injuries to the liver, including bruising and lesions.”

Pendleton, Oregon

EastOregonian.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter was full and turning away animals. “It’s really sad because people might end up taking the animals to [an open-admission] shelter or just dumping them,” a spokesperson for the facility reportedly said. “And we’re seeing a lot of that.”

Austin, Texas

FOX7Austin.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Austin Animal Center was so crowded that dogs were “being placed in pop-up crates in places like the shelter’s multipurpose room. A room that is supposed to be used for training and staff meetings is used to shelter dogs. The shelter also had to rent an air-conditioned shipping container to house dogs.” A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that dogs in the shipping container were being confined to crates “for 23+ hours a day.” Statesman.com later reported that the facility was severely crowded. “We are a no-kill facility, so we don’t euthanize for space,” a spokesperson for the facility reportedly said. “Right now, we are trying to limit intakes.” According to the report, “The shelter’s maximum capacity is 272 medium-to-large dogs. On June 16, there were 325. Despite adding 15 makeshift kennels to combat overcrowding, [the spokesperson] said there is still insufficient space.” SpectrumLocalNews.com reported, “The center has more than 1,000 dogs and cats in its care, with 671 pets at the shelter. Currently, 23 dogs do not have a kennel.” The facility’s spokesperson said, “We are housing dogs in crates in our conference room and we even rented an air-conditioned construction trailer to put crates in. … Unfortunately all of those spaces are now full and our only option is to house dogs in crates outside in front of evaporation coolers.” The facility was also giving away animals free of charge.

Chickamauga, Georgia

TimesFreePress.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Walker County Animal Shelter had “limited its intake of new animals, complicating a police investigation in Rossville in which an injured dog seized as evidence had no place to be housed.” According to the report, a resident who operates a nonprofit spay/neuter group in the area ended up driving the dog to a veterinary hospital in Atlanta, where it was determined that his injuries were so severe that he had to be euthanized. She said local authorities often call her group “out of desperation when they’ve been calling for weeks or months or there’s an injured animal and the county refuses to respond.” According to the report, “Ted Harris, the mayor of Rossville, said in a phone interview that it’s ‘irritating and aggravating’ that Rossville taxpayers are paying for a service they aren’t getting.” It wasn’t reported whether police had filed charges in the case involving the injured dog.

South Abington Township, Pennsylvania

WNEP.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Griffin Pond Animal Shelter had announced “that they no longer have space to accept any more animals from the public or local police departments.”

Chamblee, Georgia

WSBTV.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as DeKalb County Animal Services, operated by a nonprofit group doing business as Lifeline Animal Project, had been ordered by state authorities “to stop accepting new animals because of severe overcrowding.” According to the report, the county facility was a “state-of-the-art facility that opened just five years ago.”

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

GlobalNews.ca reported that a spokesperson for a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as ARTS Senior Animal Rescue said that the group had seen a twofold rise in the number of people who became abusive when turned away from the group’s facility. According to the spokesperson, “We just can’t accommodate everybody, and on a weekly basis we’re figuring out who is most urgent, who do we have room for, who we don’t—and we have to unfortunately make decisions of who we can and can’t help.”

Freehold Township, New Jersey

APP.com reported that the executive director of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Garden State Animal Rescue Center had “been charged with aggravated sexual contact on allegations that he inappropriately touched a teenage girl who volunteered for the nonprofit.” Authorities reportedly arrested Brian Becker, the executive director of the group, and also charged him with “three charges of endangering the welfare of a child.” According to the report, “[A]nyone with information that could aid the investigation [was urged] to call Freehold Township Police Department.” No additional information was available.

Tunbridge, Vermont

BenningtonBanner.com reported that authorities had seized “13 horses, one mini-mule, one llama and six dogs” from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Hoofbeats and Dreams Farm Ltd. According to the report, “Most of the animals were malnourished, and several needed medical care, including one horse with a seriously neglected eye infection.” The group’s owner, Debra Densmore, was charged with cruelty to animals.

North Pole, Alaska

NewsMiner.com reported that Donna Buck-Davis, the owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Loving Companions Animal Rescue Inc., had been charged with two counts of cruelty to animals, including one felony. (See the April 2022/North Pole, Alaska, entry for more details.) According to the report, “The class C felony charge is in regard to a dog named Scar. Due to severe health ailments, the dog’s owners surrendered Scar to Loving Companions for euthanasia. However, according to documents, Buck-Davis instead decided to rehabilitate the dog herself. Buck-Davis would ‘frequently use expired medication’ on animals in her care. After he was given the medication, Scar’s health deteriorated to the extent that he was unable to walk. Buck-Davis, according to a trooper statement, left the dog in a dirty kennel. Unable to move, he began to develop wounds and eventually had to be euthanized. The second charge, a class A misdemeanor, refers to a cat … Alaska State Troopers removed from Loving Companions in April. Upon examination from a veterinarian, the cat appeared to have ear mites, an upper respiratory infection and a broken leg. The leg had to be amputated.” Authorities had also previously seized two puppies found at the property who “displayed symptoms of parvovirus, showing extreme lethargy to the point that one appeared ‘life-less,’ according to the trooper statement. One puppy was euthanized ‘due to … deteriorating health and lack of chance to live.’ The other puppy received treatment but still succumbed to the virus.” A hearing date was set.

Town of Trenton, Wisconsin

JournalTimes.com reported that authorities had charged Fostina M. Uelmen, owner of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Frosty’s Fosters Animal Rescue, with multiple counts of cruelty to animals. According to the report, investigating officers found 19 dogs in filthy crates on the front porch of the property and “Uelmen told the officers that there were 29 dogs in the house …. The dogs had come from Kentucky and Alabama. … One of the dogs, a black and white pit bull mix, in a bluish/gray crate with an orange strap around the crate door was covered in feces, the crate was covered in dried feces …. Many of the crates were also not an adequate size for the dogs [who] were in them.” Uelmen reportedly told officers that “the dogs were kept in the crates for about 18 hours out of a 24-hour day due to the temperament of some of the dogs.” She also reportedly said that she’d been investigated before for allegedly hoarding animals. WKOW.com reported, “According to one official on scene, many of the dogs were in crates for more than 19 hours a day ‘not being able to fully stand or turn around.’ One investigator claimed the smell of urine and feces was ‘overwhelming’ and caused them to feel nauseous.”

Beckley, West Virginia

WVNSTV.com reported that a facility that claimed to be “the largest no-kill shelter in the state,” doing business as the Humane Society of Raleigh County, had a contract to provide the city of Beckley with animal-sheltering services. However, the group’s executive director said that “there is no way for the shelter to guarantee a spot for every animal that Animal Control brings” in and that “[t]he shelter has had to turn away animals.” The city’s mayor “said it’s unfair to taxpayers if there is no place for stray or vicious dogs and that the city had expected to have reserved spaces, based on the years of donations.” The city was considering building a public animal shelter in conjunction with the county in order to ensure that residents will have a safe place to take homeless animals.

Fresno, California

KMPH.com reported that a dog named Ava, who had been adopted twice from a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Valley Animal Center had been found after she’d been abandoned in other states both times. Ava had reportedly originally been found “deserted in a field” and was taken to the group’s facility. After she was adopted, she was found, apparently abandoned, in 2019 in Pima, Arizona. She was returned to the California group, which adopted her out again in 2020. According to the report, “The center received a call [in June 2022] that a dog named Ava had been found as a stray in Las Vegas by a local animal control agency.” ABC7Chicago.com reported that Ava had again been returned to the California group, that her fur was permanently damaged “[b]ecause of an early case of mange and burns from being abandoned in the desert heat,” and that she had “some masses that have gone untreated so she will require at least one surgery before she is ready for adoption again.”

Herriman, Utah

ABC4.com reported that a self-professed animal “sanctuary” doing business as Clementine Ranch Animal Sanctuary was beyond capacity and could not accept any more animals. A spokesperson for the group said that “she and her partner have told people they can’t take any more animals, only to find them left on their doorstep the next day. The situation has gotten so bad she says she’s had to call the police due to people throwing animals out of their car windows onto their property, including a dog and a bunny.”

Cincinnati, Ohio

SpectrumNews1.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Cincinnati Animal CARE had announced that it was at 225% capacity and that it was storing animals in crates throughout the facility, including in a garage that had only “portable air conditioning units and fans.” Animals had also been given away free of charge. Local12.com reported that the facility was no longer accepting animals from people who couldn’t—or wouldn’t—care for them but was required through a contract with the county to accept stray animals and those brought in by law-enforcement officers. (See the March 2022/Cincinnati, Ohio, entry below for more details.)

Santa Rosa County, Florida

PNJ.com reported that because a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Santa Rosa County Animal Services was “overcapacity,” around 50 dogs who were found roaming at a hoarding property had been left there until room became available at the facility. Many of the dogs were reportedly unsterilized and unsocialized.

Sandgate, Vermont

BenningtonBanner.com reported that seven weeks after a dog named Atticus was adopted to a woman by an adoption group with “no-kill” policies doing business as Second Chance Animal Center, he had been chained up and repeatedly shot. According to the report, the adopter testified in court that while her husband was allegedly “heavily inebriated” and couldn’t be awakened, the dog had bitten her ankle. She claimed that she became afraid of the dog and tied him outside. During her testimony, “[s]he then described shooting Atticus in the neck and leaving him outside. ‘I knew he was hurt,’ she said. ‘I was sad and too scared to check.’… I thought I’d killed him,’ she said, ‘but I heard some noise by the door, so I opened the window and shot him again.’ Then she went to sleep.” A waste management worker who was working in the area saw the badly injured animal and called authorities. “After consulting with the representative for Second Chance … [a] Vermont state trooper shot [and killed] the dog later that day.” The adopter was found guilty of “aggravated cruelty and animal torture.” A sentencing hearing had not yet been scheduled.

Columbia, South Carolina

WYFF4.com reported that authorities who responded to a call about a “smell of death” coming from a home had “found 30 decomposing animals—28 dogs and two cats—confined in cages and crates.” Responding deputies reportedly said the animals had been found “lying in their own waste and it is believed they died in the cages” and that it appeared they had “died from starvation and dehydration.” The homeowner, Caroline Dawn Pennington, reportedly worked at Kershaw County Humane Society and operated a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Global Rescue Welfare League Inc., also known as GROWL. She was also described as “a well-known figure in the animal rescue community.” According to the report, Pennington was “arrested in one of the worst cases of animal cruelty the sheriff in Richland County said he’s seen.” WLOS.com shared graphic photos from the raid and reported that Pennington had been charged with 30 counts of ill-treatment of animals.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

KFOR.com reported that a public animal shelter doing business as Oklahoma City Animal Welfare, which has “no-kill” policies, was housing more than 450 dogs in a space designed to hold fewer than 300. The facility was reportedly giving away dogs for free “indefinitely.”

Stockton, California

ABC10.com reported that a resident had taken a puppy named Babies to a public facility with “no-kill” policies, doing business as Stockton Animal Shelter, three days in a row because he could no longer care for the animal. According to the report, “The bottom line is that the animal shelter is at capacity and dogs like ‘Babies’ could, in the end, be turned away.” A kitten had reportedly recently been abandoned outside the turn-away facility.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in May 2022

Flemington, New Jersey

DailyVoice.com reported that authorities had seized “71 animals including horses, cows, goats, pigs, roosters, and sheep” from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Rooster’s Rescue Foundation Inc. The animals were “found to be neglected and in poor living conditions …. Several dead animals were also found, investigators said.” According to the report, the group’s owner, Michael B. Featherston, “was charged with animal cruelty for failure to provide necessary care, as well as drug possession, unlawful possession of an assault rifle, purchasing firearm parts to manufacture a firearm without a serial number, and other weapons offenses.” The investigation was ongoing, and authorities asked anyone with information relevant to the case to contact them.

Albany, New York

News10.com reported that an animal adoption group with “no-kill” policies and doing business as Mohawk Hudson Humane Society had announced that it was limiting dog intake and halting dog adoptions because of a distemper outbreak. According to the report, the group had recently imported dogs from out of state, some of whom “were later found to be carrying the canine distemper virus.”

Largo, Florida

FOX13News.com reported that an unspecified number of cats had died in a fire at the home of a self-professed cat “rescuer” and foster home. According to the report, “kennels” at the home “were especially full” at the time of the fire. Approximately 16 cats reportedly survived, and “[t]he most severe cases are still being treated for extensive burns at emergency vet centers. … The surviving foster cats will likely need several weeks to recover.” No additional information was available.

Houston, Texas

HoustonChronicle.com reported that animal shelters with “no-kill” policies in the Houston area were turning away animals and that the number of homeless animals roaming without care was increasing. According to the report, “The Fort Bend shelter has become so overrun with dogs that staff recently resorted to housing the animals in hallways. … The Fort Bend shelter can comfortably care for 170 animals, and as of May 20, it had 200 in its care.” It was reportedly “not uncommon” for dogs to be warehoused at the facility “for up to a year.” The report also revealed that “[t]he Montgomery County shelter can now comfortably care for 180 animals, but as of early May the shelter was caring for 275 animals.” Most facilities in the area had reportedly implemented “managed admission” policies, which a local resident said “has also caused a huge influx of animals to be left on the streets and has created a burden for [private] groups.” A spokesperson for one group admitted to finding and leaving suffering, diseased, injured, and pregnant animals “out on the street because you literally have no place for [them] to go.” A self-professed animal “rescuer” said that her “garage is outfitted with kennels and several portable AC and heating units. She currently is caring for seven dogs, but sometimes she has up to double that number. … She added that fosters have also been driven away by long stay times. ‘A lot of the organizations have left fosters with animals for six months or longer,’” she said.

Gadsden, Alabama

GadsdenTimes.com reported that that the city of Gadsden had contracted with a group with “no-kill” policies, doing business as the Humane Society Pet Rescue and Adoption Center, “to shelter animals that animal control picks up or that Gadsden residents surrender. But with 95 dogs recently at a facility designed for 50, the shelter has been on limited intake.” According to the report, dogs were not being adopted or “shipped … out of state at sufficient numbers for the shelter to take in additional dogs,” and area residents had expressed concerns about dogs who were apparently routinely warehoused at the facility, including one who had recently been there for 500 days.

Shreveport, Louisiana

CBS42.com reported that four puppies had been left in “a rubber tub” outside a self-professed “no-kill” facility that turns away animals and was doing business as Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana. When these animals were found, one had already died and the three survivors “were suffering from heat exhaustion. All of the puppies were also suffering from Coccidia infections, hookworms, low glucose levels, and were anemic.” One of the surviving animals reportedly died “not long after” being found, and the remaining two were receiving veterinary treatment. A spokesperson for the facility recommended that people who needed to turn in animals contact their local government-run animal shelters because “animal control is an open-intake facility.”

Green Bay, Wisconsin

WSET.com reported that after a woman said that she’d been turned away from at least seven animal shelters with “no-kill” policies, she tied her 6-year-old dog to a fire hydrant in a residential neighborhood and left her with a note and a backpack containing supplies. According to the report, “The owner, who is living on the streets and going through chemotherapy, says she did what she thought best for Baby Girl. ‘I begged the animal shelter to please take her in,’ the former owner said. ‘I’m surrendering her. I don’t have an option. I don’t have a choice and they would not take her.’” The dog was found and taken to an animal shelter that accepted her. That facility states on its website that fees and appointments are required before it will accept animals from owners. FOX11Online.com later reported that after a veterinary examination, it was determined that the dog “had some medical issues, including diabetes mellitus” (which can be fatal if left untreated) and that an adopter would “need to work with their veterinarian on a plan, which is expected to include daily glucose monitoring, a restricted diet, and at-home insulin injections.” She was adopted.

Dallas, Pennsylvania

WNEP.com reported that a spokesperson for an animal adoption group said that animal abandonment was occurring more frequently and described a recent incident at the group’s facility in which “a car drove up … and they said we have two dogs we need to get rid of and we said okay we need you to fill out paperwork and they pushed the dogs out of the car and took off.” According to the spokesperson, the facility was apparently full and had only “so many kennel runs, so we set up extra cages, everyone is in cages.”

Staten Island, New York

NYPost.com reported that a man had filed a lawsuit against Animal Care Centers of NYC after he was attacked by a dog his mother had adopted from the facility a day after the animal was brought home. The man described being attacked by the dog, a 5-year-old boxer–pit bull mix described by the facility as “the friendly giant”: “I jumped back … I fell down the steps and that’s when he went for my neck. … I put my hand up and he got my arm and the top of my head. That’s why I was bleeding all over my face. Then he started ripping into my right arm and playing tug of war with it.” The man had to be hospitalized “and needed surgery on his right arm, which still has a piece of muscle missing. He said he also had puncture wounds on his head and his left arm.” The dog had also reportedly lunged at the plaintiff’s father and “pinned” him in the kitchen the evening before the attack. His lawyer said that the man’s mother had adopted the dog, “hoping to bring some happiness to their home, as she was losing her battle to lung cancer … [but] the dog they adopted from ACC was a ticking time bomb that detonated upon arrival.”

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: KTUL.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescue,” doing business as Country Roads Animal Rescue, had apparently relented to taking in a mother dog and puppies after the animals’ owners threatened to kill them by throwing them off a bridge if the group refused. According to the report, the group “said they took the dogs into their care, but they don’t have an available facility for them.”

Charlotte County, Florida

WINKNews.com reported that authorities had seized 11 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as All Creatures Safe Haven Inc., after they had been found “forced to live in terrible conditions.” One emaciated dog named Buddy reportedly weighed half his normal bodyweight, and “[i]nvestigators believe Buddy arrived a healthy dog and went downhill in the care of All Creatures Safe Haven.” A spokesperson for the animal control department said, “That’s why we had to intervene when we did and in hindsight, it was the right call because the dog was very close to death probably within a couple of days.” NBC-2.com reported that the “rescue” owner was Nicole O’Brien. A spokesperson for the animal control department reportedly said that all the animals found had shown “signs of neglect” and that a criminal investigation was ongoing.

Portsmouth, Ohio

Portsmouth-DailyTimes.com reported that after a concerned neighbor contacted authorities because of “a horrible smell and an unnatural number of flies at the exterior windows of [a] residence,” they found the decomposing bodies of 19 dogs and seized 27 live “emaciated and dehydrated” dogs from the home. Some animals were reportedly roaming the home “over piles of trash and rotting waste, while others were in cages.” Samantha Damron reportedly told authorities “that she had attempted to rescue the dogs. Damron told officers she ‘worked for an animal shelter and she was taking dogs in attempting to care for them.’” Damron reportedly had a “history of employment as a veterinary technician.” She was facing 33 counts of cruelty to animals, and additional charges were expected to be filed.

Nashville, Tennessee

NewsChannel9.com reported that residents were upset because a publicly funded animal shelter with “no-kill” policies, doing business as Metro Animal Care and Control, was routinely not responding to calls reporting cruelty to animals or animals at large, including dogs who were acting aggressively. A spokesperson for the shelter reportedly “admitted if they don’t have room at the shelter, they aren’t coming for the dog” and said, “[I]f we don’t have the capacity, we can’t take that dog in.” A spokesperson for a local nonprofit who had reportedly “been monitoring the situation for more than a year” said the group had noted “[t]errible complaints about dogs running at large, people being afraid for themselves, their dogs, their children, people being bitten, chased, scary things, things you don’t want to happen when you get out in the neighborhood on a walk with your dog.”

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in April 2022

San Antonio, Texas

KSAT.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as City of San Antonio Animal Care Services had a three- to four-month waiting list to accept animals from residents who could no longer care for them. A spokesperson for a private animal adoption group in the area said that the group was receiving 25 to 30 written requests every day from residents asking that it take in animals, but it was full and unable to accept more animals.

Saginaw, Michigan

MLive.com reported that a dog who had been transferred to an animal adoption group from a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Detroit Animal Care had been found shot to death in a ditch with “duct tape around [his] muzzle and both sets of legs.” The dog had reportedly been trained at a prison before he was adopted by a corrections officer. According to the report, that officer later told authorities that the dog had “nipped at him, prompting [the suspect] to wrap him in duct tape, drive him out to the ditch, shoot him three times, and leave his carcass.” The suspect was reportedly “facing a felony [charge] for allegedly torturing and killing the dog.”

Gilmer County, Georgia

CBS46.com reported that authorities had seized more than 100 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Build an Ark Animal Rescue and charged its owner, Susan Littlejohn, with 14 counts of cruelty to animals “related to unsanitary conditions and animals being underweight and not properly fed.” The seized animals included “sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, rabbits, an alpaca, ducks, chickens and pigs.” A group that took in some of the animals reportedly said, “The donkeys probably are the worst because their feet are so bad.” No additional information was available.

North Pole, Alaska

NewsMiner.com reported that authorities had seized “multiple animals” from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Loving Companions Animal Rescue Inc. after responding to “reports of animal neglect.” According to the report, a board member of the group had contacted authorities after observing “sick animals (including a very sick boxer dog) as well as a wild hare, which is illegal to possess without a license.” The board member said that she and volunteers had asked the group’s owner, Donna Buck-Davis, to provide the dog with needed medical treatment, but it was not provided. The board member said, “I have never seen a dog look so bad in my life …. It was unbelievable.” The dog, a cat, and the wild hare were seized. According to the report, “[C]omplaints against Loving Companions and Buck-Davis have been building for years. Last year, a petition circulated to regulate non-profit shelters in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, which was created specifically in response to Loving Companions.” The main complaints against the group were reportedly “that conditions in the shelter were unsanitary and overcrowded; a potentially lethal combination. … ‘I can’t tell you how many dogs have died,’ [the board member] explained.” No criminal charges had been filed at the time of the report. An investigation was ongoing.

Charleston County, South Carolina

Live5News.com reported that authorities had seized 57 dogs from “a home that was set up as a dog rescue operation” after the owner had been hospitalized. Authorities reportedly obtained a search and seizure warrant and found dogs who “were being kept outside and inside a home” at the property. An investigation was ongoing.

Stanwood, Washington

HeraldNet.com reported that when medical staff responded to an emergency call at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Cockatoo Rescue and Sanctuary, they called authorities after seeing “the decomposed remains of some 50 birds” in outdoor enclosures. According to the report, responding authorities found two dogs and two birds inside the home, but “rescue” owner Lori Rutledge “wouldn’t allow them to be removed for care. Animal control obtained a search warrant and retrieved the animals. … Only one of the birds, a cockatoo, survived.” Rutledge, who had been transported to a hospital, died five days later. A spokesperson for the animal control department reportedly said, “There’s not enough remnants to investigate, and there’s no suspect to charge with a crime.” According to the report, “Private rescues harboring domesticated animals, such as cats, dogs and birds are unregulated, for the most part.”

Alfred, Maine

NewsCenterMaine.com reported that state and local authorities had seized dogs and cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Saving Lives Animal Shelter. A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry reportedly said that the investigation was apparently ongoing and that the seizure was a result of “failed inspections and failures to comply with the standards established by the department for licensed animal shelters.” The shelter’s owner, Brenda MacKenzie, reportedly said that 47 animals had been seized. WMTW.com reported that MacKenzie said “that authorities had searched the house previously after reports that some of the dogs were sick.” A neighbor reportedly told the outlet that MacKenzie had asked her to “watch seven dogs. She showed up to find around 40 animals, dozens of crates stacked up, and animal feces on the floor. . . . She says that she called local animal control, the town code enforcer, and a nearby animal shelter.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group said that MacKenzie had fostered and then adopted a dog named Dolly from the group. “Months later,” she allegedly returned the dog. The spokesperson said, “Dolly was emaciated …. So much so that I rushed her immediately to Angel Memorial where they said she had been starved.” According to the report, “Animal Welfare would not provide comment, saying this is an ongoing investigation.”

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in March 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

8NewsNow.com reported that a pit bull who had been adopted from a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as The Animal Foundation of Las Vegas had been returned a year later in poor shape and “weighing half of what he originally weighed.” When the adopter returned the dog, a witness said the person “was getting confrontational not wanting to sign any surrender papers and simply claimed [the dog] was aggressive.” According to the report, the dog, who weighed 60 pounds when he was adopted, weighed just 25 pounds when he was returned. An animal adoption group was reportedly paying for his medical treatment and reported that veterinarians had said that “sores on his body are also a clear indicator he was forced to sleep on concrete for months.” The dog’s tail had to be amputated, and he was expected to “be at the hospital for a few more weeks.” According to the report, “The Animal Foundation tells 8 News Now they don’t do reference checks.” No additional information was available.

Flagstaff, Arizona

AZDailySun.com published a report by a member of the advisory board of a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as High Country Humane that said that members of the community frequently ask why the facility “is always full and can’t or won’t take in more animals. I’ve heard people say they’ve been turned away by the staff. What’s the point of having a shelter if you can’t take in an animal when needed?” The response was that the facility is a “managed admission” shelter and that restrictive intake policies had evidently been made in a bid to improve the facility’s statistics.

Hebron, Connecticut

NBCConnecticut.com reported that authorities had seized “up to 40 dogs, 22 cats, and at least one goat” from the property of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as CT Pregnant Dog and Cat Rescue. Its owner, Joann Connelly, was reportedly “arrested and faces multiple counts of animal cruelty.” LawAndCrime.com reported that state police described Connelly as a “licensed animal importer.” A state police report stated, “On March 23, 2022, a Department of Children & Families investigator requested assistance during a site visit for information received that the owner had moved and a large number of animals had been left behind …. [T]he conditions in the home were found to be deplorable and unsanitary and an overwhelming odor of urine and feces could be smelled from outside of the residence …. Officers observed numerous dogs in cages crammed throughout the house to include the basement.” A responding officer reportedly wrote that she “had difficulty breathing even while [w]earing an n95 respirator.” According to the report, authorities had received complaints about the “rescue,” including that Connelly had refused to allow a veterinarian to euthanize extremely sick puppies who were suffering and kept animals “in an ‘unclean, unhealthy and unsafe environment’ where the animals were ‘confined to crates’ most of the time.”

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Sun-Sentinel.com reported that a woman who was apparently fostering a dog for a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Noah’s Rescue had sustained serious injuries after she was attacked by the animal. According to the report, the pit bull “was resting peacefully with his head in [the foster caregiver’s] lap. A short time later, with little warning, [he] attacked, biting her right hand, right biceps and right calf. … [The dog] probably shouldn’t have been eligible for [the woman] to adopt or foster. The shelter where he was housed had documented [the animal’s] bad behavior and medication. But the dog rescue serving as the middle man in the transaction, Noah’s Rescue, which is based on Fort Lauderdale, was under no legal obligation to share such information with [the foster caregiver].” The report went on to explain, “No one knows how many dog rescues are in Florida. No one knows how many dogs they receive, how many dogs they send out for fostering or adoption, and whether those dogs are fit to live with other animals or people. … And if the rescue meets the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services standard as a nonprofit charitable organization, it can solicit public donations and do almost anything it wants with the money. … Whistleblowers claim the donations are sometimes abused, or used for personal purposes such as jewelry and fancy dinners, as opposed to dog rescue business. They point to tax returns that show six- and seven-figure incomes and facilities and resources that don’t line up with such funding. In some cases, social media videos blur the line between properly using animals to solicit donations and exploiting animals to finance a lavish lifestyle. … [T]he lack of oversight grants dog rescues a loophole big enough to fit a busload of bad intentions.” One group doing business as 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida Inc. had reportedly “been investigated by the state for misuse of donations. That investigation resulted in 100+ reaching a $5,000 settlement in 2017.”

Rutherford County, North Carolina

WLOS.com reported that authorities had seized more than 40 animals from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Paws Ranch Equine Rescue Inc. According to the report, the “rescue” “was shut down in February amid an animal cruelty investigation. In total, 23 horses, 17 goats and a sheep were seized from the property. The owner, Delores Hanser is now facing multiple charges.” A representative of a nonprofit group that took in some of the seized animals reportedly said, “This is probably one of the worst cases of abuse and neglect I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been doing this a long time.” One of the horses later died. No additional information was available.

Portland, Oregon

KOIN.com reported that “[o]ne of the founders of a Northeast Portland-based pet rescue and adoption organization is now facing federal fraud conspiracy charges more than a year and a half after Multnomah County animal authorities seized more than 100 animals from the organization. Tori Lynn Head is accused of charging Woofin Palooza customers ‘fake appointment fees,’ failing to reimburse payment for spay and neuter services, mislabeling animal drugs, and improperly charging customers to treat sick animals, according to court documents obtained by KOIN 6 News.” (See the May 2021/Portland, Oregon, entry for more details.) According to the report, “The latest accusations come as part of an ongoing list of legal trouble for Woofin Palooza, which had 117 animals seized from its property by Multnomah County Animal Services in August 2020. Court documents show the organization’s founders were charged with a combined total of 157 counts of second-degree animal neglect, 15 counts of second-degree forgery, and 13 counts of identity theft after Multnomah County Animal Services executed a search warrant of the property and seized 117 animals in 2020.”

Madison, Ohio

WKYC.com reported that authorities had seized 145 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Holy Cat Whiskers after they were found apparently neglected. According to the report, “[I]nvestigators say many of the cats they discovered were emaciated and dehydrated. Because of the lack of quarantining, infections and viruses were rampant. One cat, named Braveheart, was in bad enough shape that he had to be euthanized.” Cleveland19.com reported that “investigators saw felines emaciated, dehydrated, with untreated skin conditions, flea infestation, conjunctivitis, ear mites, ear infections, and other conditions. … According to Lake Humane Society, most of the facility’s surfaces, including floors, walls, bedding, and toys were covered in nasal discharge and mucus as a result of the multitude of cats suffering from upper respiratory infections, forcing many to breathe through their mouths because their nasal passages were restricted by congestion and discharge.” The report included photographs of some of the animals who were seized. It wasn’t reported whether criminal charges were being considered, but the investigation was reportedly ongoing.

Springfield, Missouri

KY3.com reported that a selective-admission self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Rescue One had announced that it was full and could not accept any additional animals. A spokesperson reportedly said, “Bottom line is, we have no space. None. Not even an open bathroom. As of right now we have 366 animals in our care.”

Winchester, Virginia

WinchesterStar.com reported that “[a] woman who had two fingers amputated after being bitten by a pit bull at the SPCA of Winchester, Frederick & Clarke Counties has reached an undisclosed settlement, according to her attorney.” According to the report, the woman “sued the nonprofit organization in Winchester Circuit Court for $1 million last month …. The lawsuit states the pit bull, which was on a long leash, was being shown to another potential adopter as [the plaintiff] sat nearby. [The dog] got loose from [the] handler and [the plaintiff] was bitten on her ring and pinky fingers of her right hand when she raised it to protect herself. Besides the amputations, [the plaintiff] suffered ‘severe and permanent injury’ to the muscles, structures and tissues of the hand, which is her dominant hand. … Jennifer L. Gaylor, SPCA board of directors president, didn’t return emails on Thursday regarding how many people have been bitten since the new adoption center opened in 2015, whether the dog who bit [the plaintiff] was euthanized, and whether safety protocols have changed since [the plaintiff] was attacked. Executive Director Lavenda L. Denny didn’t return a call.”

Lubbock, Texas

KXAN.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for seven years at a self-professed “no-kill” animal “sanctuary” doing business as The Haven Animal Care Shelter. According to the report, the dog had apparently been seized during a dogfighting raid in 2015 and suffered from a “damaged jaw” at the time. A spokesperson for the group said, “She had her jaw just hanging down and you could tell by looking at it that she’d have to have surgery and some extensive vet care.” The dog was reportedly “shy and cautious around new people,” and according to the group’s profile about her, she should not be around other dogs, cats, or children.

Cincinnati, Ohio

WCPO.com reported that former employees of a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Cincinnati Animal CARE had alleged that the facility was unsafe because of dangerous dogs who were either warehoused or shuffled from temporary home to temporary home. In a recent resignation letter, a deputy dog warden reportedly wrote, “I saw far too many employees, volunteers, fosters and potential adopters bitten or attacked.” Another former employee said she quit “after witnessing several extreme safety concerns for the staff and the public as well as neglectful treatment of the animals there.” A worker who was recently attacked by a dog named Kraven was so badly injured that she required hospitalization. She told the outlet that she “learned she was not the first to be bitten by Kraven. In the two months leading up to her attack, internal notes obtained by the I-Team and authenticated by Cincinnati Animal Care, showed the dog was returned to the shelter by five different foster homes. In the last incident Nov. 9, Kraven bit an owner who was trying to break up a fight between Kraven and another dog. … According to the internal notes the I-Team obtained, Kraven was picked up as a stray on Oct. 4, and was labeled a ‘flight risk’ after he ‘took three days to capture.’ On Oct. 11, he was returned from a foster home for ‘just being too hyper.’ On Nov. 1, he was returned for ‘separation anxiety and not getting along with owner’s cat.’ On Nov. 9, Kraven ‘bit the foster’ who tried to pull him out of a dog fight. And on Nov. 26, a staffer noted Kraven ‘can eat through a door and get out of any room.’ Kraven attacked [the worker] three days later.” After the attack on the worker, he was reportedly euthanized. According to the report, records indicate that there were “32 reported dog bites among [the facility’s] foster-care placements last year.”

Emporia, Kansas

KVOE.com reported that a public shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Emporia Animal Shelter was full and would not accept any additional animals. The media outlet reported that it had received “a number of complaints from community members, who say they have been advised [by workers at the shelter] to leave stray animals alone and the animals will find their ways home.” A spokesperson for the facility told the outlet that residents who needed to surrender animals would be placed on a waiting list and charged a fee. When the shelter was full, residents who found lost and homeless animals in need of help were reportedly being told to “return the animal to the place [he or she] was found because [the animal] might find [his or her] way back home.” According to the report, “Recently, the shelter had calls about potential surrenders, one involving 14 puppies and another involving 16 puppies, which management declined. One recent conversation with a pet holder resulted in a kitten being thrown at staff.”

Clarksville, Tennessee

FOX17.com reported that authorities had seized 94 cats from a self-professed “no-kill” group doing business as Cats Are Us after they were found apparently neglected. According to the report, “A veterinarian checked each animal and found many of the cats were sick, including some with feline aids. At least one cat was too sick to save.” According to the director of Montgomery County Animal Care and Control, “The cat was extremely ill, [he or she] was paralyzed, we had tried to treat [the cat] for a couple of days, our veterinarian did the best she could with [the animal] but ultimately [he or she] wasn’t able to be helped.” The group’s owner was reportedly cited for aggravated cruelty to animals. TheLeafChronicle.com reported that “[d]uring the investigation of the nonprofit, many cats appeared to be sick and malnourished, and their surroundings were severely unkept, the citation states.” The group’s president, Suzanne Harpel, was cited in connection with the case.

Maryville, Tennessee

WATE.com reported that a dog had been warehoused for six years by a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Blount County Animal Shelter. Volunteers reportedly said the animal shouldn’t be around other dogs or children.

Bay Minette, Alabama

FOX10TV.com reported that a dog in need of urgent medical care had been left tied to a fence at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as North Baldwin Animal Shelter. According to the report, workers at the facility said they received “a message from the owners saying they were moving and couldn’t take him with them.” The facility’s director reportedly said it was at capacity and that “sometimes they have to turn pets away.” The dog was receiving veterinary treatment “for various issues,” according to a public post made by the facility.

Saucier, Mississippi

WLBT.com reported that the operator of a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Deep South Animal Rescue was “facing more than two dozen charges after more than 30 dead dogs were found on her property.” According to the report, “rescue” operator Jessica Collins was “accused of one felony count of animal cruelty and 30 misdemeanor counts of simple animal cruelty.” A woman who visited the property reported, “Several of the deceased animals had been burned, while others were in trash bags …. When she asked Collins—who also goes by the name Jessica Gallaspy—about it, she was reportedly told that the dogs were attacked by a bobcat …. When [the woman] got to the Saucier property, she said she found a stack of filled garbage bags covered in flies and smelling like death. She also found an emaciated lab in a shed with no ventilation or food and water. Near the dog was a dead buzzard, she said.” According to the report, “[M]ore than a dozen dogs [who] are still alive were turned over to Humane Society of South Mississippi. … According to court documents, Collins also surrendered 14 dogs she was holding on a property in Pass Christian. She bonded out of Harrison County Adult Detention Center the same day she was arrested.” A court date had been set in the case.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in February 2022

Raleigh County, West Virginia

Register-Herald.com reported that county officials had announced that “Raleigh County Animal Control will not be taking 911 calls regarding aggressive or stray dogs and cats.” Animal control officers had evidently been taking animals to an area facility that has “no-kill” policies, which had announced that it had no room to accept any more. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “We have no space …. There’s no available cages. There’s not a spot to put an animal,” and county workers reported that they had been told not to take any animals to the facility. Another spokesperson for the facility reportedly said, “The public is really generous …. In turn, we are turning away dogs they’re bringing in.”

Oakland, Florida

FOX13News.com reported that a volunteer at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida Inc. had been mauled to death by a dog. Another woman, who tried to help stop the attack, was injured. The wife of the woman who died reportedly “said the dog pulled [the volunteer] to the ground by the arm and attacked her.” Authorities removed and euthanized the dog. No additional information was available.

Winona, Texas

KETK.com reported that authorities had seized 38 dogs from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Dog Days Ranch and Rescue and charged its owners, Tina Loper and Eric Morris, “with eight counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals, with two of those charges being felonies due to the death of the dogs.” According to the report, an “affidavit stated that the majority of dogs on the property had either no water; or no clean drinking water, empty food bowls and were living with large amounts of old and new feces in their enclosures. One of the kennels had the entire roof inside which the affidavit states limited the dog’s movement and was a hazard to the animal.” Eight dogs were found suffering from “serious health conditions,” including open wounds, parasitic infections, bloat, and injuries. KLTV.com reported that one dog had been found “with drool coming out of her mouth, sagging skin and a visible skeletal structure with heavy discharge around her eyes. The dog later had to be euthanized.” KETK.com later reported that one of the owners had allegedly said that the animals “were fed every three days.” A nonprofit group that assisted with the seizure reported that “the dogs were in various stages of medical neglect ranging from severely wounded, starvation, limping, infections, and swelling of feet and limbs.”

North Charleston, South Carolina

Live5News.com reported that authorities had seized 44 cats “from an unsafe situation” after they were apparently found hoarded by “a person who was taking in feral cats.” No additional information was available.

Austin, Texas

SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” animal shelter doing business as Austin Animal Center (AAC) had announced that it had “run out of kennels for medium and large dogs. Usually, AAC has some kennels held for sick or injured dogs and dogs that may pose a risk to public safety, but those are full as well. … AAC is asking the community to work with their neighbors if they find a loose dog and to bring them home.” It was also planning an adoption event where animals would be given away for free.

Lemont, Illinois

Patch.com reported that a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Ruby Whiskers Animal Rescue had given two puppies to a woman who said she would foster them. The animals were reportedly handed over to the woman at a “transport facility” after they had been imported from Kentucky. A spokesperson for the group reportedly said that sometime later it “sent the foster family medicine after being told the pups were sick …. But after the foster parent said that one of her kids accidentally fell on the puppy and injured the pup’s leg,” she then allegedly said “she cannot afford to pay for vet care and cannot afford the adoption fee for the pups, which is $500 per dog.” She also allegedly refused to return the animals. The group’s spokesperson reportedly “said when she contacted the police, she was told nothing could be done because the issue was civil, not criminal.”

Maryville, Tennessee

WATE.com reported that authorities had seized more than 60 cats from a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Kitty Kamp after they were found languishing in “filthy conditions.” They were taken to a public animal shelter, where a spokesperson reported that “quite a few” of the animals had upper respiratory conditions and “a lot of them are dehydrated. We ended up having to put some of them in the oxygen chamber to try and help them get better.” The DailyTimes.com later reported that “[t]wo of the sickest cats died right away and three others had to be euthanized because they were deemed too far gone to save. One of them had a broken pelvis and couldn’t walk,” according to a spokesperson at the public shelter where the animals were receiving care. According to the report, “A cat who had no teeth was among the group as well as many [who] were dehydrated.” Sixteen of the cats were reportedly being treated for ringworm, and seven were receiving treatment for serious upper respiratory infections. No charges had been filed in the case.

Miami, Florida

Local10.com reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Miami-Dade Animal Services was refusing to accept lost and homeless animals. A resident said that she took in a dog after he was found being attacked by another dog on the street. She said she spent months trying to find the animal’s owner but was unsuccessful and that the dog didn’t like cats. Because she lived with a cat, she said she could no longer keep the dog at her home. When she took the animal to the shelter, she said, “They told me they were not taking any dogs …. And that I had to put stuff online and try to find the owner, and I said I did.” She apparently took the dog back home but returned to the facility at a later date. According to the report, “After waiting for over an hour, she was told she would be put on a waiting list. She explained she was leaving town and had nowhere to take the dog.” She said she was required to “email them my travel plans,” before the facility would make an exception to its turn-away policy. According to the report, shelter officials said that “this policy will remain in effect moving forward.” (See the January 2022/Miami-Dade County, Florida, entry below for more information.)

Mexia, Texas

KCENTV.com reported that 11 dogs had died in a fire at a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Limestone Animal Rescue Adoption Shelter.

According to the report, animals who died included a dog who had recently given birth and “nine of her puppies.” A spokesperson for the group reportedly said “the fire department hasn’t made a final decision on what caused the fire, but their two suspicions are a golf cart that was plugged into a wall socket that may have shorted or a heat lamp that could have fallen over due to wind.”

Knoxville, Tennessee

WVLT.tv reported that an elderly dog warehoused by a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Young-Williams Animal Center had been adopted and returned four times in 11 months. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that the dog would likely do best in “a house without any other pets.”

Muskegon, Michigan

WZZM13.com reported that an elderly dog had “spent eight years getting shuffled around in the shelter system.” She had been transferred to a Michigan group from Florida in September 2021. A spokesperson for the group said that she had “been in the shelter her entire life.”

Broward County, Florida

Sun-Sentinel.com published an op-ed by the mayor of Hillsboro Beach that described dangerous turn-away policies at the county’s publicly funded animal shelter doing business as Broward County Animal Care and Adoption. According to the piece, the county had established a “no-kill goal” in 2012. The mayor asserted, “Shelter accomplishments quoted as percentages are … misleading as they are a function of the number of animals admitted to the shelter. This shelter administration limits intakes in many ways.” She expressed concern that “strays are no longer accepted from well-intentioned citizens and law enforcement. Instead, shelter administration unilaterally decided strays must be housed by those who find them for 72 hours before the shelter will accept them.” She continued, writing the following:

Obviously, the living arrangements of a good Samaritan may not be conducive to keeping a found animal for three days, and local police stations don’t have the facilities or personnel to care for animals [who] need to be contained, fed, watered and exercised. This is the job of our county shelter, which is funded annually with $8 million from taxpayers. Also, the shelter now refuses animals, saying municipalities must have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county in order to bring in strays, meaning municipalities must pay to use the shelter, even though it’s taxpayer-funded. An officer rescuing a dog from drowning is told to return the dog to the street because there is no MOU on file. Per shelter employees, the new directive to return animals to the street comes straight from shelter management. Even animals removed from hoarding situations are expected to be taken elsewhere without shelter assistance. These are not isolated instances; they are ongoing tactics to keep intake numbers artificially low. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The bottom line is that thousands of animals are suffering because of shelter mismanagement. Animals inside the shelter are not cared for properly; animals needing a home are left on the street; and response to animal abuse reports is virtually nonexistent.

Reports Showing How ‘No-Kill’ Policies Harmed Animals in January 2022

Louisville, Kentucky

SpectrumNews1.com reported that a self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Animal Care Society was full and not accepting animals. According to the report, the facility had nearly 100 animals on a waiting list to be admitted. According to its website, the group charges fees to accept animals and only accepts healthy ones who have been assessed and deemed “adoptable.”

Salina, Kansas

KSAL.com reported that a dog who had been adopted from a self-professed “no-kill” public animal shelter doing business as Salina Animal Services had been “severely beaten and starved,” evidently by the new owner. Responding to a report about possible cruelty to animals, an animal control officer reportedly found the dog “clinging to life” after she was apparently “nearly beat[en] to death. She has multiple skull fractures, two detached retinas, and other possible neurological damage. The dog also was in an emaciated state. It is believed she was intentionally starved. The severely injured dog was taken to a veterinarian for treatment.” Authorities were investigating. No additional information was available.

Sumter County, Florida

Villages-News.com reported that Sumter County officials planned to “revisit the county’s year-old no-kill shelter policy,” because, as one commissioner asserted, “The (no-kill) policy that the majority of commissioners approved last year has been a disaster …. Of 94 dogs in the shelter, he said, 25 are considered friendly and adoptable.” Another commissioner reportedly “said 107 animals were in the shelter Tuesday morning, including 21 held for three months, 16 for six months and two for a year [and that] the county should replace no-kill with a socially conscious shelter policy.”

Miami-Dade County, Florida

MiamiNewTimes.com reported that a resident who had rescued a homeless dog found roaming a neighborhood had taken the dog to a public self-professed “no-kill” facility doing business as Miami-Dade Animal Services. There, she said, she witnessed “a line of people with dogs … being turned away.” She was also turned away. “They were the denying everyone that was in the line …. It resulted in one person tying [a dog] up to the fence and trying to leave,” she said. She also alleged that a worker at the facility had told her to put the dog back where she had found her and said “hopefully [she’ll] go back home.” A spokesperson for an animal adoption group in the area reportedly said the group had “fielded daily calls and texts from people” who had found lost or homeless animals and been turned away from facilities tasked with sheltering animals that claimed to be full.

Mentor, Ohio

Cleveland19.com reported that a 9-year-old dog had been warehoused for more than half of his life at a facility with “no-kill” policies doing business as Lake Humane Society and Adoption Center. According to the report, the dog had been transferred to the facility from another facility in Ohio and had “lived in a shelter for five years.” The dog was apparently aggressive toward other animals, as the group advised that he “would prefer to be the only animal in the home.”

Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania

WTAE.com reported that “about a dozen” cats had died in a fire at a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Angels Journey Home Animal Rescue. Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com later reported that “[i]nvestigators say the fire started in an enclosed porch due to a propane heater.”

Orangeburg, South Carolina

WYFF4.com reported that a puppy had died after he or she was left outside a public turn-away facility doing business as Orangeburg County Animal Control and Shelter. According to the report, security footage showed “what appeared to be a woman dropping off the animal in a pen” at approximately 3 a.m. Lawn maintenance workers found the animal dead later that morning. On its website, the county facility states that it will not accept animals from residents who can’t or won’t care for them and that “pet owners are responsible for finding homes for their unwanted pets.”

Pensacola, Florida

PNJ.com reported that 39 dogs and a chinchilla had been surrendered to authorities by a self-professed animal “rescuer” after they were found neglected. According to the report, a first responder reportedly “said the conditions of the premises were ‘dirty’ and the dogs all had ‘some significant level of neglect.’ The owner had several 10-by-10-foot outdoor kennels that some of the dogs had tunneled underneath to get to other kennels. [M]any were malnourished. ‘Many had worms and other parasites that could have been prevented with basic medical care,’” according to the first responder. Authorities were reportedly “continuing to investigate the case,” but no charges were pending at the time of the report. No additional information was available.

Cheyenne, Wyoming

KGAB.com reported that an animal shelter with “no-kill” policies that was partially funded with public monies and doing business as Cheyenne Animal Shelter had “announced that they’re at capacity with intakes and are having to waitlist surrenders.”

Wayne, New Jersey

TapInto.net reported that a public self-professed “no-kill” shelter doing business as Wayne Animal Shelter had been accused of not providing a dog who had been transferred there from a facility in North Carolina with adequate care. The dog was allegedly sick and scheduled for euthanasia when the New Jersey shelter transported him there three months before the report. According to an area resident and former employee of the New Jersey facility, who shared photos with the outlet, the dog had become emaciated during the three months at the shelter. According to the report, “The former Wayne Animal Shelter employee is turning to a lawyer for help, looking to force the shelter’s hands through the threat of criminal charges and make them let someone else … take care of the dog.” The mayor was reportedly looking into the allegations.

Effingham County, Illinois

WCIA.com reported that a van that was transporting 58 dogs and cats from Texas for a self-professed animal “rescue” doing business as Texas Rescue Riders in Wisconsin had crashed in Illinois and “rolled several times.” According to the report, a cat was missing after the accident and the Effingham County Animal Control shelter was full and unable to accept animals after rescuing animals from the crash site.

Houston, Texas

HoustonChronicle.com reported that a public animal shelter with “no-kill” policies doing business as Harris County Pets had “closed animal surrender intakes through the weekend due to its critical capacity level reaching an ‘all-time high,’ shelter officials said … in a Facebook post.”

Branford, Connecticut

NHRegister.com reported that a facility with “no-kill” policies, partially funded with public monies and doing business as Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, had announced that it was full and could not accept any more dogs. A spokesperson for the facility reportedly said that “almost every other call is someone threatening to dump their animal outside if her shelter doesn’t take them in” and that workers were “seeing a lot of critters being abandoned outside. We’ve just picked up more bunnies that were dumped outside and guinea pigs and hamsters,” she said. A spokesperson for a self-professed “no-kill” facility in the community doing business as The Animal Haven reportedly said, “Every day I get about 14 calls of animal surrender or animal abuse or animal dump …. We have absolutely no room. We have the most dogs we’ve ever had. I have a waiting list that’s huge.” She also said that she’s “received calls from people threatening to dump now-unwanted animals. A recent caller said they would simply chain a dog outside for someone else to find if [the facility] didn’t take the animal.”

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