GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — According to Michigan law, it's illegal to abandon an animal or cause an animal to be abandoned, in any place, without making provisions for the animal's adequate care.
It's considered a misdemeanor crime with consequences that include potential fines.
It's a problem that continues to happen every day.
Surrendering or abandoning a pet can have a big impact—not just for the animals, but also for the local animal shelters taking in those animals.
Shelters are understaffed, underfunded and over capacity—and they're asking the community to step up and do their part.
It's a story you've heard many times.
A dog found starved in the middle of the road, a box of kittens dumped at a local car wash, and a gentle giant tied to a fence late at night just steps away from an animal shelter.
"We're right back to 15 years ago with the problems and those boxes of puppies that are abandoned, dogs being just dropped off, everywhere," said Lana Carson, executive director of Pound Buddies.
The numbers are staggering, with some animal shelters like Pound Buddies in Muskegon reporting a 50% intake increase.
"There is no other way to put it than this is a capacity crisis for all shelters," Carson said.
Shelters say there are many reasons why someone may choose to surrender or abandon a pet.
The number one reason is money.
"I think the cost of vet care has gone up, the cost of food and supplies have gone up significantly. So, I think if somebody was already having a hard time caring for their pet, in the last year or two, it's gotten harder," said Angela Hollinshead, executive director of the Kent County Animal Shelter.
It's important to note that most animal shelters do charge owner surrender fees ranging from $25 to $200, but many shelters are willing to work with people who are struggling financially.
"Our goal right now is to make sure that we do everything we can through providing resources to keep those pets and families together," Hollinshead said.
Harbor Humane Society in Ottawa County has had a 20% increase in both owner surrenders and stray intake this year, including an unusually large number of puppies.
"I think there's a lot of people out there breeding puppies that they're not selling, so they're ending up in bad situations, or they're ending up at a shelter," said Jen Self-Aulgur, executive director of Harbor Humane Society.
Shelters are asking people to, at the very least, walk through the front door instead of dumping the animal unceremoniously.
"When we don't get that face to face, we lose information. We lose information on the health, the behavior of the animal, all things that can help us make a good placement decision for that animal," Self-Aulgur said.
Animal advocates say no shelter can solve this problem alone but the community can be part of the solution.
Many animal shelters offer programs and resources like food banks, low cost vaccine clinics, spay and neuter assistance, and training.
If you need to rehome your pet, ask family and friends first, and don't abandon your pet as it could lead to a dangerous situation.
West Michigan shelters don't want to get to the point where they are euthanizing for space.
This comes as the Kent County Animal Shelter is calling a code red. They say they're at full capacity mostly filled with strays. Lost pets are not being picked up by their owners.
If you've lost your pet, you should call the shelter with a description or do a walkthrough.
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