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Vault Visit: Guilford County Animal Shelter Announces Changes

We're revisiting a story we did back in 1976. Big changes were happening on this day in history for the Guilford County Animal Shelter!

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — WFMY News 2 turns 75 years old in 2024. To celebrate, we're opening the News 2 Vault! 

Today, we're talking about changes at the Guilford County Animal Shelter in 1976. 

The shelter announced several changes, including who would be managing it. 

At this time, the Guilford County Animal Shelter was run by the Sheriff's Department. 

But on July 1, it was going to be operated under the direction of the county manager with the assistance of the Animal Shelter Advisory Board. 

It also meant longer operating hours and increased fees for people reclaiming their pets. 

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Dogs Crammed In Shelter Kennels Get A Moment In The Sun

After days stuck in narrow concrete kennels, a dozen huskies, shepherds, and pit bull mixes roll around in the grass at Lake Balboa Park. 

Volunteer Kerstin Tula's companion is a handsome, black, 58-pound mixed-breed with a white spot on his snout. 

"His name is Iceman, he's been in the shelter since June 2023," Tula says as she puts an orange bandana with "adopt me" printed on it around the dog's neck. "I hope someone sees him on the walk, or I'll make a video to get him adopted because he's a great dog."

The City of LA's six animal shelters house about twice as many dogs as they were built for. 

The city is not planning to build more shelters, and is instead trying to limit the number of stray animals in LA. They offer spay-and-neuter discounts, and in April, the LA City Council put in place a moratorium on new dog breeding licenses. 

But their primary strategy to clear space in the shelters is to step up public adoptions and foster care. That's where pack walks come in: Shelter volunteers take a group of dogs to a local park to offer exercise and a little TLC while showing off the dogs' loveability – which can be hard to discern for potential adopters visiting the prison-like environment of the shelters.

The volunteers take lots of videos for social media and photos to replace the dogs' mugshots on the shelters' websites. The pups look so much cuter frolicking in the grass than cowering behind the mesh of their kennel cells.

On a recent East Valley pack walk, Kerstin Tula snuggles Iceman, who rarely leaves his crowded kennel. Photo by Kerstin Zilm.

Sergio DeLeon, volunteer liaison from LA's East Valley shelter, calls the park outings a networking opportunity. 

"We've had people that have seen us out in the pack walks, and they'll actually follow us back to the shelter to do the adoption," he says.

The need is urgent.

At a rally at LA City Hall in March, animal activists called shelter conditions "disgusting and embarrassing," and claimed that dogs are put on a list for euthanasia when they don't do well in playgroups. The term "no-kill shelter" is misleading, the activists said. 

To be considered no-kill, a shelter has to find homes for at least 90% of their animals. According to the city's own data, LA shelters had a so-called save rate of 93% for dogs last year. Still, they euthanized almost 1,000 pups. 

Megan Ignacio of LA Animal Services is evasive when confronted with claims that animals are killed for space. "It's a very small population of the animals that you're mentioning," she says. Ignacio says staff looks at whether dogs are healthy or biting anyone before they are euthanized.

Ignacio admits that some animals lash out because they're suffering physically and mentally in overcrowded shelters. He adds, "[It] is not humane and acceptable for us to be keeping them in these conditions."

Out on the pack walk, park visitors fawn over the adoptable dogs as they splash in a creek and stop next door at the restaurant near a golf course. Kerstin Tula films Iceman gobbling down a hotdog and a burger patty. He thanks her with wet kisses. Then they head to the final highlight of the day: a bath at the local pet store.

Volunteers take the dogs for a bath so they are clean and look better when shelter visitors come to look for an animal to adopt. Photo credit: Kerstin Zilm.

The dogs are all clean and tired when they come back to the shelter. Some volunteers return their companions to the kennel with tears in their eyes. 

One gets in line for adoptions. Chris Perez says he fell in love with Princess, a terrier-pit bull mix he walked two months ago. First, he fostered her. "But she's not going anywhere. I'm here today to adopt her and make it official," he says.  

Iceman's time in the shelter also quickly came to an end. He was adopted shortly after the walk and will be trained as an emotional support animal for survivors of human trafficking.

Meanwhile, more than 1,400 dogs are still waiting.

Midland Animal Shelter Population Is At A 'threatening Capacity,' Once Again

Just two months after the viral distemper outbreak, calling for over 140 adoptions, MAS is facing another capacity issue with more than 250 animals needing a home.

MIDLAND, Texas — Midland Animal Services is currently in "crisis mode," according to Midland Animal Services (MAS) Manager Melissa Griffin-Hobson. The shelter has reached full capacity. 

Nearly 250 animals are waiting to be adopted into loving homes and the shelter just doesn't have the space to house them all.

"If I were to speak for the animals, what I think that they'd want to say is they did not put themselves in this position," Griffin-Hobson said. "They are kind. They're looking for a family and that love that only citizens can provide, so  just consider opening your doors. We'd be happy to do that with you."

This is a familiar situation for MAS. In late March, there were 140 dog adoptions due to a distemper outbreak. 

Luckily, the shelter was successfully cleared of those dogs, but 60 days later they are in the same position.

"Thankfully, everybody is healthy," Griffin-Hobson said. "But, we need the community's help getting these animals into loving homes."

The major issue is a lack of spaying and neutering, so the shelter is overwhelmed with females and puppies. 

"We have so many dogs that are just getting pregnant because they got out," Griffin-Hobson said. "We need y'all's help to prevent those unwanted litters."

To encourage people to find their furry soulmate, the shelter offers vouchers for low cost spay and neuter, discounted adoption prices and even a new pet pantry. 

These options are all better than the alternative.

"For every animal that comes in, we have to euthanize another animal," Griffin-Hobson said. "It's been really hard on the staff, especially on days when you have 20 animals coming in."

MAS has called on its community to adopt, foster or just volunteer at the shelter. It can make all the difference. 

"We have staff to provide the basic needs for animals, but we are looking for people that can just love on them and give them that extra attention that we're unable to," Griffin-Hobson said. 

For information about adopting, fostering or volunteering, contact Midland Animal Services at 432-685-7424 or visit the website. 

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