SCRAPS offering free adoptions to clear out shelter space

SCRAPS is waiving adoption fees on all animals through Saturday to ease its maxed-out shelter capacity.

The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service is offering the adoption special amidst national trends of full shelters and low adoption rates.

Over 100 adoptable animals are available, according to the organization’s Facebook page.

The number of pets given up has risen throughout the year, the organization said.

The reason why? “Less money in your pocket” may be one, said J. Nick Hobbs Doyle, Shelter Operations Manager at SCRAPs.

With many people financially struggling today, Hobbs Doyle explained that financial instability can be a leading issue in affording pet care.

SCRAPs has seen an increase in owners questioning whether they could provide a safe and healthy life for their pets.

Ultimately, though, “It’s hard to identify true factors of this growth. Everyone had their speculations, but this is a national issue,” Hobbs Doyle said.

According to Shelter Animals Count, a national database that collects and reports on animal shelters, shelter capacity across the country has increased by 4%since 2021. At the same time, shelter euthanasia nationally increased by 64% in 2023. According to the database, this is due to the nearly 1 million fewer animal adoptions in 2022.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an estimated 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year – putting a strain on resources and highlighting a need for innovative solutions.

The county shelter is not alone in its struggles.

The Spokane Humane Society is at capacity, and also cutting some adoption fees – companion animals that have been with the society for over 180 days will have no adoption fee for the month of July.

In a celebration of National Adoption Week at the Humane Societies’ Northpointe PetSmart location, up to 80 animals are up for adoption, said Kim Reasoner-Morin and Kristi Soto, executive director and director of marketing and communications with the Spokane Humane Society.

The humane society has seen an uptick in un-spayed and neutered animals, and, consequently, an uptick in puppies.

“We’re really pushing to try to get them into loving homes,” Reasoner-Morin and Soto said.

In combating these challenges, shelters make it a priority to rely on community engagement and support, Hobbs Doyle said.

“As we reach our capacity, it limits the services we’re able to provide. To maximize our ability to assist the community with animal enforcement, we must have space,” he said.

Despite national struggles, local shelters are keeping their spirits up.

Local nonprofit SpokAnimal, in accordance with PetSmart’s National Adoption Week, is offering discounted adoption rates for kittens at its South Hill PetSmart location.

“We are just very grateful for anybody that adopted from us, and (have) contributed to our mission,” Soto said.

For more information, go to SCRAPS’ website: spokanecounty.org/5519/SCRAPS—-Regional-Animal-Protection. The shelter is located at 6815 E. Trent Ave. in Spokane Valley and is reachable at (509) 477-2532 or scraps@spokanecounty.org.