03/25/2026
Good evening, everyone,
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Well, Spring is here. While we are ready for some nice ongoing temperatures, Spring is also a bit of a bittersweet thought for animal rescuers. Why? Two reasons: 1. Puppy/kitten season and 2. Male dogs/cats doing whatever it takes so they can find girlfriends.
So, let’s break this down a bit more.
1. Puppy/kitten season- Rescues and shelters are already FULL and the onslaught of newborns has already begun. 😣 Post after post and email after email begging us to take in “accidental” litters. There is NO room. Due to the current financial situation in the US, adoptions (especially for large dogs) are way down across the board. We are going to say this again- “accidental” litters don’t exist. Either your dogs and cats are fixed or they aren’t. 🤷♀️ We’ve heard every excuse and justification in the book but at the end of the day unfixed pets create offspring that are getting harder and harder to find good homes for. (The exception here are RESPONSIBLE breeders which account for a very small percentage of breeders.)
2. Your intact male house cat who only goes outside at night and your neighbor’s intact male dog are going to drive themselves crazy trying to procreate! They WILL breed whatever they can- their sisters, mothers, daughters- they don’t care. Hormones are hormones in the animal world. How many cats can be impregnated in just ONE night by your tom cat? You might be shocked…
Hormones are also going to cause your intact male dogs to run away more (thereby making them much more likely to be hit by cars) and fight more. They will scale tall fences, dig underneath, snap tethers, and take any and every opportunity to be free so they can find new friends with benefits. The requests for vet care assistance during this time of year skyrockets!
And… because of the two facts above, guess what else happens? The local city animal shelter’s population will explode and people will be mad over it. It’s not the shelter’s fault that people are irresponsible.
Wichita Animal Services put out a plea tonight because they are FULL in the dog kennels. Over two dozen strays were brought in today. 😳 Only three dog adoptions happened at KHS. Do the math. There are a finite number of kennels at both KHS and WAS and they both are doing what they can to find positive placements.
So, what can you do?
1. Sign up to foster with a local rescue! This being said, we need COMMITTED fosters so please don’t make an impulsive decision here. Fostering is not always easy but it is always rewarding.
2. Consider adopting from rescues and shelters IF you are ready for a new family member. Pets should NEVER be impulsive decisions. Please do not adopt a dog from a shelter with the intent of rehoming it unless you intend to address all medical and behavioral concerns before rehoming. Trust us, this is harder than it sounds. Passing a dog with problems from home to home without addressing issues is NOT rescuing. It’s making a bigger problem for that animal and decreasing the chance that those owners will want to take a chance on a rescue dog ever again.
3. If your pets get out, GO GET THEM! All pets should be chipped and dogs should have ID tags on 24/7. Again, we’ve heard every excuse in the book here- just do it!
4. Commit to your own pets! Most times where there’s a will there’s a way. (This does not include those legit reasons to rehome, but the issue is that everyone thinks their reason is legit.) Need behavioral help? Check out our website!
5. Spay and neuter! Seriously, stop right now and sign up on our website!
6. Donate to your local shelters and rescues. While money is ALWAYS appreciated, many groups could always use various supply donations as well. Don’t forget about those items we all need but aren’t necessary fun to buy- trash bags, bleach, paper towels, ziploc baggies, or gift cards for gas!
7. Stop simply being keyboard warriors. This isn’t helpful and in fact, is the main reason rescuers and shelter workers are quitting right and left nationwide. Complaining about an issue without taking tangible steps to help is just nuts. Also, do NOT believe everything you read on social media. Do your research. Ask questions of people who can give you FACT-BASED information.
‼️ We CAN make a difference in our community but it’s going to take a combination of education, enforcement, tough love, and compassion. Advocate for pets who can’t do it for themselves. Help shelters/rescues, neighbors, family members, friends however you can. ‼️
Need more information? waalrescue.org
*Bashing of shelters will not be tolerated. Legit questions are welcome.
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