Louisa County Animal Shelter waives adoption fees to deal with overcrowding

LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Finding a fur-ever friend just got a bit easier! The Louisa County Animal Shelter is waiving adoption fees in an effort to free up space.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, Feb. 25, Louisa officials announced that the county shelter is at a “critically full capacity.” Shelter staff told 8News that they have 36 dogs in need of a loving home.

“Basically, we have the resources to feed these animals, to get the medical and everything else -- we just don't have the building space to house them,” said Skylar Covin, the shelter's manager.

Skylar explained that each of the dogs should be housed in double-run cages, which give them enough space to roam. However, the majority of their kennels currently house two dogs each to accommodate the overflow.

“We have to cut these runs in half to meet capacity," Covin said. "And we've got dogs that are in small crates that should not be."

If you're not quite ready to commit to adopting just yet, fostering might be the option for you.

"You can take a dog home for a week, a month -- kind of whatever works for you and your lifestyle," Covin said. "That way, you can tell whether this animal's going to be able to fit in your home and meet all of the needs that your family needs."

Many of the shelter's adoptable dogs are hounds and terrier mixes -- breeds that Covin said are usually overlooked.

"Come visit, take them on a walk! A lot of them look big and scary, but really they are couch potatoes and sweet as can be -- and they are sometimes a lot less maintenance than the smaller ones," Covin said.

Due to the lack of space, the shelter is unable to accept any lost or surrendered pets. If you can no longer keep your pet, officials are encouraging owners to rehome their animals.

If you find a lost animal, officials ask that you keep them in a safe place in the neighborhood where you found them and report that lost animal here.

If you'd like to adopt an animal, or if you're interested in fostering, you can visit the shelter in-person during adoption hours, which are from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. The shelter is located at 18 Sacred Heart Ave. in the Mineral area.

You can also view photos of the shelter's adoptable animals online.