By Rosita Ventura-Gomez

With an enormous number of cats and dogs being surrendered or rescued, Madera County Animal Services, an already overwhelmed shelter in Madera County, has been at max capacity for almost a month.

“We are understaffed,” said Stacy Burkhalter, a staff member who has been with Madera Animal Services for almost 13 years. “We have too many animals and it puts a lot of pressure on staff.”

According to Amy Toler, Director of Animal Services, the situation has become so dire that even with the shelter having 85 kennels, it is now common to pair two to three dogs or cats per kennel due to the overload of animals.

(Three puppies sharing a kennel.)

Even with many staff members sharing a deep passion for the shelter and its animals, they feel overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of work. There are only a few hands to ensure that all the animals are fed, bathed, and walked, while also taking care of their overall well-being. Now, even the animals are starting to feel stressed out with little space to stretch their paws or get the chance to walk outside on the grass.

“The mornings when we clean the dog’s kennel, it’s the highlight of our dog’s day,” said Director Toler. “With us being so understaffed, our staff isn’t able to meet all of our dogs’ needs. So when it’s time to clean their kennel, they get so excited since it’s usually their only time being outside.”

(On the far left is two dogs sharing a kennel; in the middle are three dogs sharing a kennel.)

Some dogs that were surrendered to the shelter came in with no signs of aggression. But with the lack of time being outside, dogs that once showed no aggression have now started to act out. Still, staff members have tried their best to love their animals unconditionally.

“No matter how many animals we have here, we try to take care of them as best we can,” said Dallas Gibson.

However, staff members of Madera County Animal Services are pleading with the community to lend a helping hand.

The Madera County Animal Services is always looking for volunteers who share a passion for helping their animals thrive and come out of their shells to find their forever homes. The shelter provides a variety of services that fit into any potential volunteer’s schedule. If a volunteer only has an hour of spare time, walking a dog for 30 minutes can significantly benefit the dog’s health and the volunteer’s health.

According to a research article, “Encouraging Dog Walking for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention” by the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, the benefits of walking a dog can help reduce stress levels and improve physical activity for both the dog and the walker. If walking doesn’t feel appealing due to the current heat, the Reading to Critters program is one of the most soothing programs for both the animals and volunteers

(On the left is Dallas Gibson and on the right is Lizet Chavez who work at the Shelter.)

In the Reading to Critters program, the volunteer can choose a book from the shelter and read it aloud to a dog or cat. According to Director Toler, the Reading to Critters program has become a massive hit for shelter animals because of the calm they feel when being read to. Since not many animals in the shelter get a chance to have one-on-one time with a person, it makes them feel seen and heard. To help reduce the high capacity of animals in the shelter, fostering animals is an ideal way to support the shelter and its overworked staff.

“Fosters are a great help because they are taken from the shelter and they are no longer in our facility – and that is one extra kennel open,” said Gibson.

(A shelter worker holding a cat ready for adoption or foster care.)

Fostering shelter animals can be short-term, long-term, or even just for one night. By opening a new home to a shelter animal in need, it can positively impact the dog’s behavior. 

In the research article, “Companion Animal Fostering as Health Promotion: A Literature Review” by the National Library of Medicine, it states, “Animal shelters can be stressful environments for animals. Fostering in the everyday setting of the home provides a respite from the stress of shelter life, opportunities for play and other positive interactions with humans, and may increase the likelihood of successful adoption.”

(Dogs waiting for a future foster parent or a forever parent.)

Madera County Animal Services provides fosterers with free food and other supplies to make the foster care process more accessible.

If you or anyone you know is interested in getting involved with Madera County Animal Services, email HelpingHands@MaderaCounty.com or visit the website here on how you can help this shelter.