Hundreds Of D.C. Animals Need New Homes As Adoptions Drop, Returns Rise

Benny is one of more than 170 animals at the Humane Rescue Alliance of Washington. Awaiting reception with all amenities.

The Washington State Humane Rescue Alliance is home to about 170 animals, from dogs and cats to birds, rabbits, turtles, snakes and fish. And now a nonprofit organization is introducing these animals and waiving a portion of their adoption fees in hopes that many of them will go to new homes.

Officials at D.C. rescue facilities say shelters and foster homes, where animals are usually overcrowded until they finally find permanent homes, have serious problems.

"Across the country, adoptions are up and adoptions are down," said Andrea Messina, executive vice president and director of development for the DC Human Rescue Alliance.

Shelters are running out because so many pets were taken in during the outbreak.

The facility is waiving the adoption fee for dogs over 40 pounds through Jan. 5. Adoption fees for small dogs and other animals still apply and range from $10 to $250.

During the pandemic, pet ownership increased as Americans sought to keep their friends away from them, while some worked from home to limit human contact. In some areas, including the District of Columbia, the need is so great that shelters, animal adoption services and rescues cannot operate.

Jinx, an 8-year-old cat, is one of several pets at the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC. Looking for a new home.

A database that tracks shelter and rescue operations at 500 locations nationwide recorded 26,000 more pet adoptions in 2020 than a year earlier. Animal experts in Washington say they haven't seen this much demand for pets since Sept. 11, 2001, when people flocked to find pets.

But now that the world has reopened and inflation has hit consumer prices for everything from chicken to dog food, that means changes for pets, too. Messina said animals are being turned away from those who cannot afford the extra costs. In other cases, she said, pet owners have faced unforeseen circumstances such as layoffs, serious health problems or homelessness and moved to places where pets are not allowed.

People reject pets. Everything is inflation.

The Humane Rescue Alliance usually takes in animals from other parts of the country, Messina said, but they don't have a branch in the District of Columbia.

However, the DC Humane Rescue Center does not ship or return animals like other facilities. Officials attribute the trend to the expansion of various assistance programs in recent years, including free meals and some free meals. Or in short - medical treatment. Each case depends on the needs of the owner and the pet.

During the pandemic, Americans adopted millions of dogs. What do we do with them now?

This holiday season, Humane Rescue Alliance is trying to find new homes through social media and online community groups to promote their pets on social media and community groups available for adoption. About 40 cats and 80 dogs, as well as birds, mice, turtles, rabbits, snakes and guinea pigs are looking for new homes by Friday.

Among them, Bonrol, a one-year-old dog, now weighs 40 kg after arriving at the shelter, and is quite thin. According to shelter staff, he is intelligent, "likes to smell things" and likes to be pet.

Bankol, a dog, is one of 170 pets offered for adoption by the Humane Rescue Alliance of Washington.

Breeze is known to be an active and playful guinea pig.

There is a jinx for cat lovers. Like many after the holidays, this 8-year-old cat needs to lose some weight, weighing in at 13kg. His owner can no longer care for him, so he needs a new home. Breeze, a 1-year-old brown and white guinea pig in need of a new home, was also found homeless. Keepers say the pigs are active, playful and love to eat bananas, broccoli and carrots.

For those looking for a companion with less fur and more scale, there's Royalty, an adult female python that was rescued from her home during a fire. The queen, it is known, likes "hot baths, sunbathing, and honoring her subjects (hanging out with you!)," according to her list of guardians.

Royalty, an adult ball python rescued from a fire, needs a new home after becoming unable to care for it, animal rescue officials said.

To adopt a Rescue Alliance animal, people can visit the Humane Rescue Alliance at 71 Oglethorpe St. Tuesday through Sunday. Visit them at the Human Rescue Alliance facility in NW or call 202-723-5730 for more information.