Alberta animal shelters adjust operations to manage overcrowding surge
A row of cages at the Edmonton Humane Society, where cats await adoption. (Maria Manghnani/Edmonton Edge)
Alberta animal shelters are adjusting operations to cope with an influx of homeless pets, implementing new measures to manage overcrowding and ensure proper care.
The Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) adopted a managed intake system in 2022 as part of its Capacity for Care (C4C) model. This approach allows the organization to schedule animal admissions in a way that prevents the shelter from exceeding its available resources, including space, staffing, and veterinary care.
Krista Kingston, communications and education manager at the EHS, said the managed intake system allows the shelter to be prepared for incoming animals, ensuring they can “care for them properly.”
According to EHS, capacity has been particularly strained during the summer and fall when shelters experience a surge in animals, especially litters of kittens.
Rural shelters face similar challenges, including the Wild Rose Humane Society in Didsbury, Alta., which has also exceeded its capacity limits.
“We’re way over our intake limit, and there aren’t enough volunteers to help,” said Jorja Thomas, a volunteer at Wild Rose. “There just aren’t enough resources or volunteers to handle all the animals.”
Overcrowding has contributed to an increase in animal disease, with respiratory illnesses in cats becoming more common in shelters, according to Thomas.
“Overcrowding leads to stress and longer stays for animals, increasing the risk of illness,” Kingston said. She said staff is also under strain, dealing with compassion fatigue from the increased workload.
Efforts to reduce the pressure include transferring animals to other shelters, when possible, though this option is limited as more shelters reach full capacity. At Wild Rose, operations have shifted to manage the increase in intake.
“We’ve had to extend volunteer shifts and rely heavily on donations of cleaning supplies and food,” Thomas said.
Ashley Platz, who adopted her cat, Merlot in 2018, said the adoption process was “fairly quick.” Merlot, a two-year-old domestic medium-hair cat, was housed at PetSmart in Spruce Grove on behalf of EHS.
“He’s been my constant companion ever since,” Platz said.
Shelters across Alberta are urging people to consider adoption to help alleviate the overcrowding crisis.
“There are so many animals that need homes,” Thomas said.
