Provided by: El Paso Animal Services
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – More than a dozen pets at the El Paso Animal Services Center will be euthanized at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, if new homes cannot be found.
These pets are part of Animal Services' “At Risk” list, which includes pets with medical and behavioral decline as a result of living in a shelter environment.
“In an effort to be transparent with our community, we have begun publishing this 'At Risk' list to find lifesaving outcomes for the pets on this list. “When the vast majority of these pets are added to the 'at risk' list, we have exhausted all life-saving efforts we have already made,” El Paso Animal Services Marketing and said Public Engagement Manager Michelle Anderson.
Pets added to the list have two weeks to be adopted, fostered, or rescued. However, the deadline may change if the animal's health condition deteriorates significantly.
The pressure to find new homes for these pets is mounting on animal shelters and their rescue partners, who are now faced with the challenge of meeting the high demand for animals coming to shelters.
“In the last week alone, we had about 300 dogs come into our shelter, so we're facing capacity challenges. It’s not like a few dogs are going to leave,” Anderson explained.
All pets on the “At Risk” list are available for immediate adoption or adoption. Their adoption is free and includes the pet's spay/neuter, microchip, age-appropriate vaccinations, and city license.
For more information about “at-risk” pets, Anderson suggests following their social media accounts or emailing EPASAtrisk@elpasotexas.gov.
