Animal shelter at capacity following Fourth of July weekend

Fourth of July weekend and an ongoing case where dozens of animals were rescued from an area home have resulted in a spike of animals at the Bloomington Animal Shelter.

“About this time each year we generally see a rise in the number of animals we take in here at the shelter,” Shelter Director Laurie Ringquist said in a press release. “While our intake of animals is actually down from this time last year, unfortunately so is our adoption rate.”

Every year, the shelter staff sees a rise in animal intake around this time because of pets running away due to noise and other factors that come with the holiday.

Also, the shelter has recently received 21 dogs and 9 cats as a result of Monroe County Animal Management impounding the animals from a local residence. These animals are being held as evidence and are not yet available for adoption, the release said.

Because of this, the shelter is operating at capacity while the animals must remain there.

“Residents can help the shelter by coming in, seeing all of the loving animals, and considering adding a permanent member to their family through adoption or a temporary one through fostering,” stated Ringquist. “Adoptions into healthy homes are a win for the animal, a win for the family, and a win for the shelter and its staff.”

The shelter is open to the public Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays from noon until 7 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m..

The animals can also be viewed on the shelter’s web site.

— Jake New