Adopt A Shelter Pet Day: These Cats And Dogs Need Homes In Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA — Here’s a number to keep in mind on National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day on Sunday: 9,957. That’s the number of cats and dogs shelters in Virginia took in during the first three months of the year.

The national database Shelter Animals Count keeps a running tally of abandoned and surrendered pets, based on reports from local shelters around the country. Euthanasia rates are rising with the increase in the number of cats and dogs that wind up in shelters.

In some cases, the rate at which healthy dogs and cats are put down has more than doubled, according to a Scripps News Service investigation by reporters Clayton Sandell and Rachel Gold earlier this year.

Nationally, 1,267 shelters took in 454,233 cats and dogs from Jan. 1-March 31, according to the shelter census. About 50,380 were euthanized or did not survive for other reasons.

In Virginia, 40 organizations reported they took in 9,957 cats and dogs from Jan. 1 to March 31. Of that number, 500 were euthanized or did not survive for other reasons.

In Arlington County, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and two local rescues took in 1,938 cats and dogs from Jan. 1-March 31, according to the shelter census. About 46 were euthanized or did not survive for other reasons.

The number of cats and dogs taken in at animal shelters reached a high for the year in March, according to the Shelter Animals Count report. The actual number is likely much higher, as only about half of the nation’s 3,500 animal shelters filed intake reports.

In March, about 60,000 of the cats and dogs taken in by shelters were strays, but about 45,000 of them were surrendered by their owners.

According to the Scripps investigation, the reasons euthanasia rates are increasing are complex, ranging from logistical problems like a lack of space and staffing to decreasing demand for pets with the end of pandemic restrictions and the cost of keeping a pet amid high inflation.

“As people have returned to normal, and animals are staying behind,” Stephanie Filer, the CEO of Shelter Animals Count, told the Scripps reporters. “And so that whole system has essentially bottlenecked.”

National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day is an informal observance every year on April 30 to raise awareness of the million of cats, dogs and other pets waiting for adoption.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington has pets up for adoption:

Lancelot is a 3-year-old feline extraordinaire who's ready to be your new best friend, according to the shelter's website. This laid-back kitty is the epitome of relaxation, always content to curl up in a cozy spot for a long nap. With his striking orange coat and bright hazel eyes, Lancelot is quite the looker too.

Max is an 11-year-old grey-faced pup, who is slowing down in his senior years, according to the shelter's website. "But that doesn't stop him from having fun. He keeps everyone at the shelter all entertained with his energy and goofiness. He can make a toy out of anything, but his favorite is a good ol' tennis ball. Max is house-trained and lived successfully with another dog in his previous home.

Clementine is a calm and gentle-natured orange tabby who seemingly can't get enough head scratches. She also can become a bit of a chatterbox to remind you it's dinnertime. She enjoys chasing the little red dot from a laser pointer around the room, and lounging by windows.

Saul needs a job being an active best friend. He is what many K9 enthusiasts refer to as an "Australian Cattle Dog" or ACD, which means he falls into the "herding breed" group, according to the shelter's website. This means Saul's ancestors were meant to move livestock from one area to the next–by lunging, jumping, nipping and pouncing–whenever a rancher asked for assistance.