All dogs that have been in a County shelter for more than 30 days will have adoption fees waived.

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 18, 2024 (Bonita) -- County animal shelters in Bonita and Carlsbad are looking for adoptive and foster families to address a problem affecting shelters throughout the United States, and that’s overcrowding. County shelters have too many pets, especially dogs.  

A variety of factors led to overcrowding, including a challenging economy and housing shortages for many families. This has forced some people to make the difficult decision to abandon or relinquish their beloved dogs.  The rising cost of food and veterinary care is also a factor for some families. 

“More dogs are coming into the shelter this year than there were last year, and fewer dogs in the shelters are being adopted or reclaimed by their owners,” said San Diego County Animal Services Director Kelly Campbell. “We don’t want to run out of room and need the community’s help.  Adopting or fostering makes a huge difference for the animals in our care and has great benefits for those fostering or adopting.”  

A scientific study by the American Heart Association in 2019 showed that dog owners live longer and healthier lives than people without a dog. This was often due to an increase in physical activity from daily walks. Dogs also help people improve mental health by reducing daily stress or anxiety, according to a 1991 study in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.