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Maricopa County animal shelters maxed out following monsoon storms

Posted at 9:36 PM, Aug 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-13 21:11:58-04

Maricopa County animal shelters are maxed out following recent rounds of intense storms and forecasters predict more wind, rain, and lightning to come. 

“We actually get sick to our stomachs,” said Jose Santiago with Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. 

“We get to the point where we are already starting to brainstorm and think of other ideas and what we can do to move animals out the door.” 

Santiago said county shelters are averaging up to 100 new intakes a day. Dogs are being doubled up, and around 35 animals are being housed at an off-site facility. 

“When we get to a capacity that we are at we have to start reevaluating what animals stay and what animals we have to make other decisions for,” Santiago said. 

FORECAST: When will the monsoon storms return?

County shelters have faced an influx in animals since Independence Day, he said. Over the weekend, 200 animals were adopted from MCACC. In that time, an additional 140 animals were brought in. 

Monsoon storms have continued the uptick in new arrivals and created a more critical need for adoptions.

There are currently about 900 dogs in the shelter and only 30 open kennels between the two locations, Santiago said.

Larger breed dogs (those 7 months or older or who weigh more than 20 lbs.) are available for adoption for a fee of just $25, which includes vaccinations and other medical work.

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