CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Kennel on Detroit Avenue is in desperate need of adopters as the number of homeless pets grow daily in their crowded and understaffed facility.
They are facing a crisis they were not expecting says Corey Keller, "We are going to go this way this is where all the adoptions are."
Dozens of dogs sit in the facility waiting for a forever home, but there's one breed that they're having a particular issue in providing homes for. Pitbulls.
Almost 80% of the kennel population are pitbulls according to Keller. A majority of them of them found roaming the streets of Cleveland. Keller says that they now share a pod with eight dogs each because the kennel has become so overcrowded.
The kennel is so overrun, many of the adoptable animals, including a chicken, are being held in the garage.
A variety of the dogs come from tragic previous circumstances, just looking for a little love to turn their lives around. Innocent animals that were used in illegal fighting rings, pets with medical expenses that some owners couldn't afford. Many like these were dumped on the side of the road.
Keller believes some owners could not handle the health expenses, so they sent the animals to the streets.
The Cleveland Kennel is not the only place seeing homeless dogs. All over the area shelters are experiencing the same thing. And in some cases where a dog is very sick or extremely aggressive, they have to be euthanized.
That decision is one that Keller weighs heavily, as do all other kennels in the same position this holiday season. He adds, "A lot of shelters are also facing that as well they are having to make decisions as everyone is full."
Ezzy Esler is with the Cleveland Kennel. She says euthanizing an animal is never a kennel or shelters first choice.
Besides the kennel being full she says, they don't have enough employees, "A lot of people are struggling financially right now and I just think we are seeing more people who aren't willing to take on a new pet and family member."
Or it can be like a female pitbull at the kennel named Chickee. Esler believes she is a missing pet who needs the owner to find her and reclaim her. "We know a lot of these dogs have families like chickee absolutely lived in a home before."
Keller implored anyone able to take in a new, loving member to their family keep the Cleveland kennel in mind, "We need dogs to go to a forever home. Whether that be their previous owners home or whether that could be a new adopter who can take on another dog."
Adoption fees have been lowered to just $21 and the dogs come with their vaccinations up to date. Many them already have chips. The price to chip your dog has also been lowered to just $25.