FALLSTON, Md. — Willamina, a pit bull mix, certainly won’t turn down a snack, but she wants far more.
As the longest dog resident at the Humane Society of Harford County, Willamina has spent nine months here with no takers as the adoption rate for adult dogs has plummeted.
Check out these cute dogs
“In the first like four months of this year, we’ve taken in 417 dogs,” said Erin Long, the nonprofit’s marketing manager, “302 have gotten adopted, which is great, but it’s just a drain on all of our resources.”
While overall adoptions jumped by 19 percent last year over the previous year, dog adoptions dropped by more than eight percent, and it’s a similar story in shelters across the country.
“I think it has everything to do with the economy,” Long explained, “People being able to find affordable housing and then, even if they do, a lot of landlords have breed restrictions so we are seeing all of that.”
One way the shelter has addressed the fall off in adoptions is by helping dog owners keep from surrendering them in the first place.
Last year, visits to its pet food pantry jumped by over 50 percent and it distributed more than 17 hundred bags of food to help those who could not afford to feed them.
The shelter also has redoubled its efforts to place the existing animals holding adoption events like its Blowout Memorial Day Weekend, which runs from Friday through Sunday, and this treat is for you, since you can adopt any dog, including Willamina, for just 50 bucks.
“Regularly its 160, and I do want people to know that still includes all their vaccinations, a microchip, their spay/neuter surgery,” said Long, “That’s all included for just 50 dollars.”
