INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Animal Care Services is once again filled to the brim and this time, caregivers are hoping for a Christmas miracle.
IACS said its hallways are lined with crates, animals are staying in every available office and more are coming in daily.
"The reality is that your shelter needs help. We need adopters, fosters, volunteers, staff, and advocates," IACS said in a Facebook post Saturday. "There is something that everyone can do to help the shelter. If you are not able to welcome a pet into your home look into volunteering and sharing our message on social media. Tell friends and family about us. We need you, these animals need you."
There are more than 120 adoptable animals at the shelter right now and that number will likely climb in the coming days. IACS explained it gets an average of 25-50 pets every day.
"Here’s the harsh reality: Each and every day, we have intake appointments scheduled every 30 minutes, 7 hours a day ... we take in 14 animals during these appointments alone. Factor in emergency cases and the animals that our Animal Control Officers bring in throughout the day and that adds up to an average of 25-50 animals each day," IACS said.
Still, IACS holds out hope that these pets will each soon find a home. In an effort to make that dream a reality and to help clear the shelter, it's offering free adoptions with a donation from the shelter's wish list.
"All of them [adoptable animals] share the same hope this season and that is to find their forever home," the Facebook post said.
The shelter is also asking anyone who finds a lost pet to help the shelter out by trying to find the owner instead of bringing it to the shelter.
IACS suggests people post animal sightings and found animals to Indy Lost Pet Alert.
Here's what IACS is asking people to do if they find a stray animal:
If you can house the animal until an appointment...
- Get it scanned for a microchip at a nearby vet clinic. They will do this free of charge.
- Post on the Indy Lost Pet Alert Facebook page, your neighborhood’s social media pages, or NextDoor
- Come by the shelter so IACS can give you a crate to keep the animal contained while in your home, as well as food and other necessary supplies.
If you can't house the animal until an appointment - don't pick it up...
- Report the stray, with its last known location, via the Request Indy website or app.
- Make a report on the Indy Lost Pet Alert Facebook page with a photo, description, and last known location of the animal.
If you're thinking about surrendering a pet, IACS wants to help so you don't have to...
- As part of its Indy CARES program, IACS provides people with the following services to help keep your pet in your home: Behavioral training, low-cost vaccines and medical treatment (including spay/neuter), food and other necessary supplies and pet deposit assistance
The shelter also has a cuddle before you commit program that allows people to bring a dog home to see if it's a good fit for their family before committing to adopting the animal.