Overcrowded shelters across NJ — how you can help

⚫ Big dogs are lingering in shelters, sometimes for months

⚫ Observers believe the economy is playing a role

⚫ Adoption isn't the only way to help relieve stress on the system

Bend, but don't break.

That's the unofficial motto for animal shelters across the Garden State that are trying their hardest to take in as many pets as possible without impacting the safety of and attention paid toward every other animal already on site.

Following a trend seen nationwide, animal shelters in New Jersey continue to battle an issue of overcrowding. Experts can't anticipate a light at the end of the tunnel, but feel that stronger sterilization laws can help put a sizeable dent in the issue.

"It's getting more difficult and we're tired," said Laurie Fasinski, executive director of Jersey Shore Animal Center, located in Brick. "We're tired of cleaning it up and we need help."

Unlike animal control operations that may be forced to take in animals despite overpopulation, private operations have the option to decline intakes and refer individuals to other sites. Still, many of these sites are maxed out, seeking families to take on pets who've been lingering for weeks or even months.

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A 2024 year-end report from Shelter Animals Count noted that the length of stay for dogs of all sizes has increased, "adding strain to an already overburdened shelter system."

"This extended stay contributes to the ongoing capacity crisis that has persisted since the pandemic, limiting space for incoming animals," the report says.

January through July of 2024 recorded a 20% decline in dog adoptions at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, in Madison, compared to the same period in 2023.

Adoptions in the latter portion of 2024 picked up significantly, but the shelter remains "very crowded," according to Diane Ashton, director of communications for St. Hubert's.

"Some people have said that it can be the economy," Ashton said. "It's not cheap to own a pet. Can I afford the food, the supplies, the vet bills?"

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But relieving stress on the shelter system doesn't only have to come in the form of officially adopting a pet. The option to foster animals doesn't get enough attention, advocates claim. Through St. Hubert's, individuals can even bring a shelter pet on a "field trip" for a few hours.

"Everybody can do something to help the animals, whether it's a temporary thing like fostering, or actually adopting," Ashton said. "If you go to a shelter, you're not only saving that dog's life but making room for another dog."

Key to keeping the issue of overcrowding at bay is handling overpopulation, advocates say. New Jersey has programs in place to support the spaying and neutering of pets, but there are no mandates in place, even on shelters, for sterilization of pets.

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