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No-kill animal shelter turns away pets as donations dry up
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Poppy, from Dog and Kitty City
A poor economy is forcing a no-kill animal shelter to turn away pets for the first time in its 30-year history.
"I'm having a lot of sleepless nights," said Sandra Mustafa, director of The Humane Society of Dallas County's Dog and Kitty City in Dallas,Texas. For the past several months, the shelter has had a $2,000 shortfall in its total monthly operating expenses of about $12,000, Mustafa said during a phone interview Thursday.
The shelter currently has 300 cats and 20 dogs. People who attempt to drop off pets are being turned away.
"We are trying to work with them," Mustafa said. "We tell them we can't take them right now, but we try to get them into a foster home and get them adopted."
Across the nation and around the globe, there are stories about how the faltering economy is impacting pets. Dogs are being locked in foreclosed homes with a few days worth of food, or are they being set free to fend for themselves.
Shelters are facing a growing demand to take in pets without the donations to support them. On top of that, fewer pets are being adopted from shelters as families look for ways to cut expenses.
Examiner.com recently reported about the problem here.
"We've never gotten the really big donations," said Mustafa. "But we've had enough to cover our expenses. A man just called and donated $2,000. But I am already wondering about next month."
Added to economic woes, road construction near the shelter has slowed drive-by traffic, Mustafa said. Dog and Kitty City also competes with several other animal shelters in the area. To help raise money, the shelter is holding a raffle contest .
"I'm hoping we can have enough to operate for at least a year," Mustafa said.
Mailing address:
Dog & Kitty City
2719 Manor Way
Dallas, Texas 75235
Phone: 214-350-7387
Email addresses:
Volunteering: volunteers@dognkittycity.org
Adoptions: adoptions@dognkittycity.org
General: info@dognkittycity.org
Hours of operation: Daily from 11:45 to 4:45 p.m., Central time.Closed holidays.
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