VIRIGNIA BEACH, Va. — Pet parents-to-be filed into the Virginia Beach SPCA on Holland Road looking for a furry family member.
And there are plenty of potential fur babies to choose from because fewer animals are being adopted.
“I’m looking for a kitten for my full-grown cat," said one pet parent-to-be. "I think she needs a little buddy."
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“We took a deep dive into our numbers from January to April this year versus last year and our adoptions are down 36 percent year-over-year,” said Mandi Kowaleski of the VBSPCA.
The length of time animals are staying in the shelter has increased from 19 days to 30 days in the same time frame, according to shelter managers.
They have a few ideas why.
"The cost of having a pet is going up,” said Kowaleski. "Everything from veterinary services to food to everything that goes along with it."
We met a sweet guy named Cooper, a 7-year-old hound mix. He’s the longest-standing resident, coming to the shelter last October.
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“You gotta love him because you walk back there and he always will greet you with a tail wag, and he thinks you’re there to walk him,” said Kowaleski.
They’ve waived his adoption fee in hopes of encouraging someone to adopt him into their family.
Adoption fees vary from $85 for cats to $310 for puppies, but what you get in return is priceless.
For more information on the shelter's adoptable pets, click here.
