Overcrowding at McKamey Animal Center

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Shelters around the world are over crowded.

Inga Fricke, executive director at McKamey Animal Center said, “Shelters all around the country right now are struggling with overcrowding. Dog intake numbers are up and more than they have been for the past few years, and adoption numbers all around the country are down.”

McKamey Animal Shelter is no different.

Fricke said, “We have to start putting them just about anywhere we can, they end up in pop ups, they end up in offices, they end up doubled up in kennels that are really supposed to house one dog.”

One dog has been there 600 days.

“We have one dog, Cheeks, he is our longest resident. He has been here technically over 600 days. Which you know if you look at your own loving pet at home, no one would want that and we don’t want that for him either,” said Fricke.

Although McKamey is against euthanasia, if the quality of life decreases, it might be the only option.

Fricke said, “But at some point we are going to hit a breaking point where we just don’t have humane housing and it is actually becoming inhumane to keep animals in cages and kennels for so long.”

McKamey needs help with all dogs, but especially the older ones.

“We really need the public to come help us. Especially with the ones who are older, the ones who are larger, ones with slightly special needs so we can get them moved out to loving homes because they deserve that just as much as anyone else, said Fricke.

Mckamey says the dogs are losing hope and displaying signs of kennel stress and depression.