SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego Humane Society announced Wednesday it was expanding weekend adoption hours for the summer to try to get more animals out of its shelters.
The extended hours will begin at the El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside and San Diego campuses Saturday and continue every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 19.
"This is the second summer in a row we've expanded our hours, and we've seen firsthand the impact it can have," said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. "Last year, we found homes for more than 600 animals during the extended weekend hours. This year, we're aiming even higher."
SDHS has more than 1,800 animals in its care, including more than 700 ready for adoption.
The announcement comes at a time when the SDHS is preparing for the city to cut its budget.
Revisions in Mayor Todd Gloria's proposed budget earlier this month restored some, but not all, of the city's contract with San Diego Humane Society for animal services. Weitzman said that still leaves a $1 million gap to maintain services.
"This funding gap threatens the city's ability to meet its legal obligations around public safety, animal welfare and humane law enforcement," he said. "These are not optional services -- they are mandated by the state. Without adequate funding, the city will still be required to provide these services, likely at a significantly higher cost than our current, efficient model."
Adoptable animals can be viewed at sdhumane.org/adopt, where more information is also available.
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