The goal is to keep dogs and cats out of cages and in their homes.
Over the years, Channel 9 has reported on the problems the shelter continues to face, such as overcrowding and surrenders.
If you walk into the shelter, you’ll notice that the barking isn’t as loud as it used to be.
In September, the shelter stopped accepting dogs due to an outbreak of canine pneumovirus.
Before this happened, our numbers were very high,” said Bryant Almeda of Orange County Animal Services. “We had well over 300 animals here at the shelter. It was getting very difficult.”
For months, the shelter struggled with overcrowding. Some dogs were three to a cage.
Staff began offering phone counseling to owners who were considering surrendering their pets.
“It was actually pretty incredible,” Almeda said. “We found that a lot of people didn’t want to surrender their animals. They felt like they had no choice.”
The shelter implemented the new Animal Intake Diversion Program. It provides owners with information about various resources available in the community, such as pet food pantries and pet-friendly housing.
It even offers training and behavioral counseling.
“The shelter, no matter what, should be your last resource,” Almeda said.
