SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Overcapacity issues are always a struggle at the San Diego Humane Society.
“Things are really hard right now,” Nina Thompson of San Diego Humane Society said. "We reached a new record today. We now have 1,973 pets in our care."
Thompson told ABC 10News they have a steady stream of owner surrenders and also a lot of stray pets that come into their care.
ABC 10News has covered the overcapacity issues previously.
"We are simply running out of space,” Thompson said. "All four campuses are bursting at the seams. We have capacity issues in Oceanside, Escondido, El Cajon, and here in San Diego; some of our campuses are at 250%."
One of the warehouses on the Humane Society’s San Diego Campus is operating as a standard warehouse. It houses pretty much anything and everything you can think of when it comes to pet supplies.
But things have gotten in such dire need here at the shelter, Thompson said. They're mapping out the space to turn it into an area for kennels for dogs.
Similar to another warehouse just a stone’s throw away from it.
"We are now down to housing dogs in crates temporarily as we play the game of Tetris to find them kennel space, Thompson said. "Right now we have more animals than we've ever budgeted for, and so we're hurting."
One potential way to help the shelter's budget in the future is a new proposed fee schedule for the Humane Society.
Thompson said the City of San Diego approved on Tuesday.
"Those are just not to exceed limits that have already been approved by the 13 other cities that we contract with. It just essentially gives us permission in the future to raise fees if we need to,” Thompson said.
"We are hurting financially. But we want to make sure that we stay true to lowering the barrier as much as we can for adoptions to get these animals into homes."
Thompson told ABC10News there are no plans at this time to raise the fees for things like adoptions.
"We need help. We need donations. We need, even if it's not a monetary donation, we need in-kind donations like blankets and towels. Every little bit helps,” Thompson said.
