Dog Euthanizations Almost Double At Animal Foundation

By Dana Gentry, Nevada Current

February 28, 2023

Clark County’s largest government-funded animal shelter, the Animal Foundation, euthanized almost twice as many dogs in 2022 as the previous year, according to data posted on the organization’s website. The shelter has not responded to requests for comment.

TAF took in 14,122 dogs last year, up almost 30% from 2021 when the shelter took in 10,890 dogs. It euthanized 2,261 dogs last year, a 91% increase over 2021, when the shelter euthanized 1,183 dogs.

The shelter took in 8,324 cats last year, up 50.5% from 2021 when it took in 5,528. TAF euthanized 1,432 cats last year, up 61% from 2021.

‘Trap, neuter, release’ (TNR), the shelter’s primary effort to control the stray cat population, was almost non-existent in 2022. The number of cats trapped, neutered and released plummeted 99%, from 818 in 2021 to seven last year.

The Animal Foundation, which receives about $5 million a year from Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, and the City of North Las Vegas, stopped accepting dogs in September because of a highly contagious virus, just days after CEO Hilarie Grey pleaded with the public to help ease overcrowding at the shelter.

TAF has since asked the public to take on the responsibility of finding owners of stray cats and dogs, and to contact the shelter as a last resort.

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