Animal control officers see increase of strays across South Mississippi

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Animal shelters throughout South Mississippi are going through overcrowding; it’s a narrative we’ve got reported all through the summer season. Animal management officers are experiencing points with animal inhabitants numbers firsthand.

“Summertime we actually keep busy selecting up animals. On Mondays, we’ve got loads of calls are available,” stated Candace Woods, Biloxi Police Division’s Animal Management Officer. Proper now, I’ve a number of animals in my patrol unit and it’s not even midday but.”

Mating season for cats and canines usually occurs throughout the spring. Now that we’re on the finish of summer season, stray puppies and kittens are popping up everywhere. However they don’t seem to be the one issue contributing to overcrowding.

“Persons are getting animals for his or her youngsters, adopting them from the humane society and realizing it’s loads of duty to coach them, stroll them, they usually don’t need to do it anymore,” Officer Woods stated. “They create them to the humane society and it doesn’t repair the issue.”

Biloxi and Gulfport Police Departments work with the Humane Society of South Mississippi to usher in strays. Katie King, Humane Society of South Mississippi Growth Director, says their shelter is at present overwhelmed.

“Proper now, we’re housing 409 animals in home on the shelter. We’ve a further 100 animals in foster houses. That’s over 500 animals at present in our care,” King stated. “We’re seeing loads of massive canines coming into the shelter, in addition to puppies being deserted. So, we’re working out of area.”

One solution to curb overcrowding at shelters is to get pets microchipped.

“Getting their pets microchipped and retaining it up to date is so necessary,” stated Officer Woods. “We will attain out and name the proprietor to get their animal again to them as a substitute of bringing them to the shelter.”

Spaying and neutering animals can also be paramount to retaining stray populations beneath management. For struggling pet house owners, there are sources accessible to assist foot these payments.

“If an animal proprietor has exhausted all sources financially, they’ll come to us and we are able to help them with pet meals, vaccines, microchipping, spay and neutering, provides, sheltering for the animal- something like that,” King stated. “We do our greatest to maintain pets and households collectively.”

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