HARRISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Animal shelters are seeing massive overcrowding issues across the nation, and right here in our region as well. One of the main reasons could be the cost of pet ownership.
"We're at max capacity, we can't take any more animals until we move some animals out," said Harrison County Animal Shelter director Jessica Carmon.
The shelter is having its second "code red" in a month. Carmon said one issue is people are not spaying or neutering their pets.
"That's a huge issue we've been facing in the last week, we've taken in 15 puppies," Carmon explains.
She said cost may be a factor—spaying and neutering at a standard vet clinic in the area can cost anywhere from $100 to $400.
A recent USA Today poll of pet owners showed that the average cost of owning a pet is $4,500 a year. The total cost includes adoption or purchase fees, vet care, food and other basic necessities.
Of the dog owners surveyed, 76% said the cost causes "a lot" or "a significant amount" of financial stress.
There are ways to cut back on the upfront cost, like adopting from your local shelter.
At Harrison County, the adoption fee is $85 for all pets. It includes: DAPP (dogs) or FVRCP (cats) vaccine, dewormer, flea/tick prevention, rabies vaccine, a spay or neuter and a dog license for Harrison County owners.
If you can't adopt, Carmon says becoming a foster still helps reduce overcrowding.
