Nearly 100 New Pets Arrive at Orange County Animal Shelter in a Single Day

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orange

ounty Animal Shelter is currently facing an unprecedented influx of cats and dogs, with nearly 100 new arrivals in just one day, overwhelming their capacity.

The shelter in Orlando is urgently seeking help from the community as it struggles to accommodate the sudden surge in animals. The intake of new pets significantly exceeds the number being fostered or adopted, leading to a critical space shortage.

“There’s only so many animals our foster parents can take,” a shelter spokesperson explained. “While we aim to keep every animal safe and sound, our resources and space are limited.”

Currently, the shelter is caring for over 600 animals, including 225 dogs and 111 cats at the main facility, along with numerous others in foster homes. The situation has been compounded by kitten season, which sees an increase in cat litters, and recent significant surrenders. One notable incident in Apopka involved rescuing a German Shepherd and other animals from unsafe conditions, while another in Pine Hills saw five dogs seized and their owners arrested by law enforcement.

To manage the overflow, shelter officials are urging the public to attempt to locate the owners of stray animals before bringing them to the shelter. Additionally, the shelter is actively recruiting volunteers to help care for the animals and is seeking individuals willing to foster or adopt.

In an effort to encourage adoptions, the shelter has reduced fees to $10 for both cats and dogs. A large adoption event is also scheduled to take place in Plant City from Friday through the weekend, with the goal of finding homes for 150 animals.

For more details on the adoption event, interested parties are encouraged to check the news app for additional information.