5 Ways To Help Vegas Pets Stay Out Of Overloaded Shelters

Local shelters in Clark County are overloaded with animals that have either gotten lost or been surrendered by their owners. With rent increases and other financial hardships, some families in the Vegas Valley have had to make the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved pets. Fortunately, many of those pets are surrendered to no-kill shelters. But others are simply dumped and left to fend for themselves.

But whether it be through surrender or by getting picked up as a stray, Vegas pets are ending up in local shelters in numbers that these facilities just can't keep up with. And it's happening in overwhelming amounts. In a recent Facebook post, the Animal Foundation reported that they took in 125 Vegas pets in a single day!

So what can we do to help lower these numbers and get more Vegas pets off the streets and out of the shelters? The Animal Foundation has some tips, even for those who can't take a pet in.

If you find a lost animal, check to see if it has a tag on its collar. A lot of times there will be a phone number or address on the tags of our Vegas pets. Other times, you can just ask around in the neighborhood where you picked up the animal to see if someone lost a pet.

I recently found a pup wandering the streets of my neighborhood. I let her in the car and drove around for less than five minutes before spotting two people who looked like they were looking for a lost animal. Sure enough, the dog was theirs and was reunited almost immediately. The Animal Foundation says this is the most powerful way to help their shelter. Because then the animal never has to go there.

If you find a pet, before taking it to the shelter, you can call the Animal Foundation's Pet Support Hotline. It's open daily from 9am–9pm and reachable at 702-760-PETS. They may be able to direct you to a place that can scan the pet's microchip and locate the family without taking the pet to the shelter. The Animal Foundation says to also call the hotline if you have lost a pet.

The Animal Foundation also encourages those who have lost a pet to call the hotline. As they can help with reclaim fees so the pet can be reunited with the family as soon as possible.

Petco has a program called Love Lost that helps to reunite Vegas pets with their families. They encourage all pet owners to register their pet before they go missing. They have facial recognition technology that helps identify registered pets who get lost. The program also provides a way to report a found pet and any pet sightings, even those who don't get picked up. Get more info at PetcoLove.org.

Just a few days in a home environment can help the Animal Foundation learn enough about a pet to find them a perfect forever home. Which is an essential step to increase the chance of the pet not being rehomed due to incapability.

At the Animal Foundation alone there are hundreds of Vegas pets waiting for homes. Some are in the shelter and others are with foster homes. But all available pets can be seen on the Animal Foundation's website at AnimalFoundation.com.

Remembering these tips can save the lives of more Vegas pets. And help all of our local shelters help more animals in need.

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