Celebrating Shelter Not Taking Pets Except in Rare Circumstance

Neither death, illness nor moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home are acceptable reasons to surrender a pet to the City of San Angelo Animal Shelter.  The move to managed intake occurred in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic hit our community.  

Since then nearly 25,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 according to the City of San Angelo Health Department.  Almost 300 people died from COVID-19 in Tom Green County.   September 2021 was San Angelo's deadliest month under the pandemic as the coronavirus claimed 65 lives.

I worked for a local hospice and encountered patients and families needing assistance finding new homes for pets due to severe illness and death.  One fall or infection could mean a resident is not able to care for a pet on an ongoing basis. 

More than half of COVID-19 patients still had symptoms up to six months after recovery, including neurological issues, lung abnormalities, and cardiovascular issues like heart palpitations and chest pain. Others suffered hair loss or skin rashes, some had digestive issues. “The burden of poor health in COVID-19 survivors is overwhelming,” Dr. Paddy Ssentongo, one of the study’s lead researchers, said in a statement. “One’s battle with COVID doesn’t end with recovery from the acute infection.”

NBC has a documentary on the COVID burden in San Angelo.  COVID-19 increased the level of illness and death in our community and likely the need for assistance with pets.  

The City Animal Shelter walled itself off from serving citizens in need with multiple managed intake programs.  It plans to celebrate choking off intake at City Council on Tuesday.    

Update 10-19-21:  Council did celebrate this morning.

The shelter took 76 owner surrenders and 1 return the last twelve months.  That's 77 out of 4,264  animals that entered the shelter (1.8%).

Update 12-3-21:  Animals 24-7 reported:

 "Shelters desperate to lower their euthanasia totals and increase their “live release” rates are making themselves increasingly inaccessible to people who for whatever reason want or need to surrender animals who may not be easily adopted out."