Contra Costa Animal Services is filled to capacity and needs your help

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Aug. 11, 2023) — Contra Costa Animal Services has issued a plea for help. The shelter is facing a critical situation – it has reached full capacity, with more animals coming in each day. They are running out of space faster than they can create it.

Due to the high volume of dogs currently in their care and the number of new animals coming in each day outpacing those being adopted, rescued and returned to their families, they now face the impossible dilemma of having to make euthanasia decisions based on time and space. Sadly, this means that healthy/treatable animals may be euthanized to help make space for the other animals.

Other animal rescues in our region are experiencing similar challenges. Many filled to the brim find their resources stretched. For months, tirelessly dedicated staff have given their all to care for these innocent lives. But now, unless the community acts quickly, they may need to euthanize cats and dogs in their care.

Each of these pets deserves the chance to find a loving home, to experience the joy of companionship.

To that end, CCAS needs your help to get 50 large breed dogs out of the shelter through adoption, foster, and transfer immediately.

They urge the community to step up and make a difference. Will you open your hearts and your homes to the pets in this shelter? Adoption, fostering, volunteering – every gesture counts. If you’ve been thinking about adopting, or possibly fostering – permanently or temporarily – now is the time.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Adopt – pets available for adoption can be viewed on our website. The Martinez shelter is open Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-5PM (10AM-7PM on Wednesday). All pets are currently free to adopt at CCAS.
• Foster – sign up to become a foster home for one of the shelter pets.
• Volunteer – sign up to volunteer and help socialize and care for the pets in the shelter.
• Help Reunite Lost Dogs – If you find a healthy friendly dog, try to hold onto that dog and help to search for their family. If you can hold onto a lost dog while you look for the owner, you increase the possibility of that dog reuniting with their family. File a FOUND REPORT on our website and notify the lost animal social media sites, like Fido Alert, and post a notice on your NextDoor page. You can also place flyers in your neighborhood. By helping the dog find their family you will also help CCAS provide support for the sick, injured, or in danger dogs.
• Spread the Word – Share this message far and wide. You never know who might need a new furry family member or consider fostering.

Contra Costa Animal Services gain resources to help the animals in our county that become sick, injured or in danger, and to help care for lost pets while working to reunite them with their families. The team at CCAS focuses on life saving and supporting community needs.

The power of community, found through kindness and empathy can turn the tide. Together this community can make sure that no animal gets left behind.