Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In a cry heard around the region, animal control centers and rescues are bursting at the seams.
The Escambia County Animal Control & Shelter and Paws Crossed Dog Rescue kennels are full with an overflowing number of dogs taken in.
On Monday, the Escambia County Animal Control pushed the information to their social media asking for help and patience from the public.
“Escambia County AL residents, we are full,” the post stated. “We have no room to take care of anymore dogs. It’s a sad and heartbreaking situation, but there is nothing else we can do. “
Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson, the oversight department for the animal control center, said the situation is becoming more dire by the day.
“We are full, that is a fact,” Jackson said. “We take in dogs in all conditions. A lot of the dogs we have, have been surrendered by owners and others were just thrown out. Part of the problem is that people don’t spay and neuter their pets. The other dogs that are strays are still out there breeding.”
Jackson said AC has partnerships with other adoption centers, but everyone is facing the same issues.
“Everybody is slap full,” Jackson said. “It’s what we are seeing every where we turn.”
Edie Kelley with Paws Crossed said the current situation has been one the rescue group has been battling for months.
“We have about 100 plus dogs in rescue currently,” Kelley said. “We have multiples in many kennels at our building. Several of our board members and fosters have eight to 15 dogs in their homes. We are getting dozens of messages , texts and calls per day on found dogs , dumped puppies and we are all stretched paper thin. We have flooded every rescue within 100 miles with dogs in our area.”
Kelley said part of the problem with the overflow of rescues is an on-going issue of dumping animals.
“Some of the dogs we have gotten, we are finding owners and they say they don’t want the dog back,” Kelley said. “And, they don’t get in trouble with legal situations. We have to push for the laws on the books to be enforced. They are already on the books so they don’t need legislation to get them through . Sheriff Jackson has really taken the reigns on animal abuse , neglect , abandonment issues and is making a difference by enforcing and prosecuting those that are the offenders.”
Jackson said the recent COVID pandemic put a lot of people in the mind-set to get a new dog.
“People were at home more and thought getting a pet was a good idea,” Jackson said. “That was popular for about six months and then they see how taking care of an animal is and want to take the dog back, surrender it or just get rid of it letting it be someone else’s problem.”
Jackson said the overwhelming number of dogs being taken in by the county’s AC department puts other services in danger.
“We are not in the business to kill dogs,” Jackson said. “But there comes a point when we can’t deny services to others in the county. It takes money to care for these animals. We have some animals in our care that have been there for more than a year.”
Jackson said the typical adoption fee for dogs at AC are being waived to encourage adoption.
“People go to pet stores and buy dogs for $1,000,” Jackson said. “Right now, we will give them a dog that would be just as loving as one they pay $1,000 for. These dogs need room to run and play and need someone to love on them and not just have somebody who is feeding and watering them.”
Jackson said the work of Paws Crossed Dog Rescue has helped with the overpopulation of dogs in the county.
“I appreciate our partnership with Paws Crossed and I appreciate their passion,” Jackson said. “We have better conditions because of them. I wish everyone in our community had their passion.”
That same sentiment has been the case for months from the Paws Crossed Dog Rescue group in the area.
With the kennels and foster homes full, the volunteer rescue group is no longer taking any animals into their care.
“We have a great relationship with the local police and believe they really do appreciate and trust in what we do,” Kelley said. “However, unless we really start penalizing people who don’t obey leash laws , starve their dogs, dump their puppies. etc and make their dogs someone else’s problems change will never fully happen.”
Kelley said not all dog owners are irresponsible, but some situations put them in a bad spot, but something needs to change to improve the current situation.
“You can research the facts the show that people who intentionally neglect or abuse dogs also tend to have other family issues and life issues as well,” Kelley said. “We do know that the community has really become on high alert for things they see and they are reporting and following up. It makes a big difference when tax payers and voters speak up rather than just our rescue speaking up.”
Kelley said the work of the county’s Animal Control has made improvements in the dog situation in the county, but work still needs to be done by the public.
“Escambia County Animal Control deserves a lot of credit,” Kelley said. “They inherited a lot of issues and bad publicity but they are doing such a good job out there. Sheriff Jackson researched and asked other shelters what works for them. He talked with us and got our opinions what we thought would be an improvement and he took all that information and trained the right employees and really turned around the perception of what the community thinks of AC. We are only our best when we work together as a team with our community. None of us can create space in an hour. We could both have buildings that house 100 dogs and be full every day. That’s where we are.”
To find out how to adopt through the Escambia County Animal Control and Shelter, visit their facilities at 2763 South Boulevard Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call their office at 867-1346.
To learn how to become a foster or for adoptions with Paws Crossed Dog Rescue, adoption forms are available through their Facebook page. Search Brewton Paws Crossed Dog Rescue, Inc. To assist the efforts of the organization, financial contributions can be made to:
PayPal – pawscrossedrescue@yahoo.com; or by mail to 110 Wilson St., Brewton, AL 36426
Donations can also be made at Brewton Animal Hospital under Paws Crossed account. 251-867-4355. or through Venmo@ALpaws.
Paws Crossed operates kennels currently housing more than 100 animals looking for their forever homes. Contact Paws Crossed for a visit.