Manatee County Animal Welfare (MCAW) is sending out a desperate plea for dog fosters as it reaches a critical population level for dogs.
The Palmetto Adoption Center currently has 97 adoptable dogs available. MCAW said the shelter has accepted an average of 300 pets a month since the new year.
"Last week, we had 15 dogs come into the shelter in a single day. We've had other days where it has been about 13 so those are really troubling numbers so we just really want to find foster parents and getting these dogs out of the sort of stressful shelter environment when it’s this full and putting them into a home for a few days really helps them sort of distress," said Hans Wohlgefahrt, the Outreach & Event Specialist for the Manatee County Animal Welfare Division.
To encourage more adoptions, MCAW is waiving all fees through Sunday, April 30.
In addition to seeking fosters, MCAW is asking for help from local shelters and rescues to transfer available dogs.
To sign-up to become a dog foster, go to click here.
For questions or to learn more about the program, please email lauren.tryon@mymanatee.org or call 941-742-5933, ext. 8314.
"We ask some basic questions like do they have other pets in the home? Do they have children? What are you looking to foster and that’s sort of the criteria we use. We want this to be successful for both the dog and the family," said Wohlgefahrt.
Pet adoptions include spay/neuter, microchip and rabies certificate (a value of over $300). Manatee County residents are required to license their new pet for an additional $20.
The Palmetto Adoption Center and Shelter is located at 305 25th Street West in Palmetto. MCAW can be reached at 941-742-5933. Plan your visit and view all adoptable pets here.
The Palmetto Adoption Center will be closed Sunday, April 9, for Easter. Manatee County Cat Town is temporarily closed. For cat adoptions, please visit the Bishop Animal Shelter located at 5718 21st Avenue West in Bradenton.
