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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDallas Animal Services faces yet another overcrowding situation. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDallas Animal Services faces yet another overcrowding situation. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Mark Graham<\/p>\n
The Dallas animal shelter is completely full.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a problem that seems to peak in the summers <\/a>when kitten season and holidays like the Fourth of July boost intakes while adoptions typically slow. As it stands now, 488 dogs are being held in 307 kennels \u2014 at 159% capacity, or what the shelter describes as \u201ccritical overflow.\u201d<\/a> The cat situation is also \u201cserious,\u201d with 81 cats taking up 85% of the shelter\u2019s 95 kennels.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOur shelter is beyond the population level that allows us to operate most effectively,\u201d said Victoria Chittam Bennett, assistant director of Dallas Animal Services (DAS), in a statement on June 11. \u201cOur staff and volunteers continue to provide compassionate care to every animal who comes through our doors, but we cannot do this alone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n On top of that, officials are just trying to keep the air on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sign up for the This Week\u2019s Top Stories newsletter to get the latest stories delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n THANK YOU!<\/p>\n You’re all set.<\/p>\n CLOSE\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n According to a June 18 city manager\u2019s office memo,<\/a> the shelter has already experienced a rooftop HVAC unit failure this summer, which forced facility managers to install temporary cooling equipment to keep temperatures down. The issue is \u201crepresentative of ongoing mechanical system failures and repair needs at the shelter,\u201d the memo said, and in the last three years, 30% of service requests to the shelter have been for AC issues.\u00a0<\/p>\n $2.6 million was allocated towards HVAC maintenance at the shelter in fiscal year 2026, and another $2.5 million is earmarked for fiscal year 2027, \u201csubject to appropriations,\u201d the memo said, which is critical because the units \u201chave exceeded their useful service life and have experienced recurring mechanical failures.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But that plan hinges on guaranteed funding amid one of the tightest budget seasons in recent memory. Lags in expected sales tax revenue and financial pressures, such as police funding and employee benefit payouts, have left the city closing out the fiscal year with a budget deficit, and a $51 million gap is already expected<\/a> for the next budget, which will be approved at the end of September.\u00a0<\/p>\n That means cuts have to happen somewhere, and Dallas Animal Services almost always finds its name dropped during funding fights at the horseshoe.\u00a0<\/p>\n Council member Gay Donnell Willis, a staunch advocate for the shelters, has frequently called for increased funding for spay and neuter programs during budget seasons. She said that the shelter is doing a good job of making the most of its current budget of nearly $22 million while securing private donor matches to supplement the facility\u2019s needs. But as she enters a budget season sure to bring \u201chard decisions\u201d about what gets funded and what doesn\u2019t, she believes the city must reaffirm its commitment to DAS.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see our surveys, there are certain things that bubble up to the top: public safety and streets, infrastructure, et cetera. And Dallas Animal Services isn\u2019t always up there,\u201d Willis said. \u201cHowever, when an incident occurs, it\u2019s right front and center again. I think to effectively lead a city you\u2019ve got to get out in front of these things. And this is not that complicated.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a longer-term vision \u2014 increasing educational opportunities on responsible pet ownership, while chipping away at fertile populations to help reduce the number of litters born \u2014 and when budgets get tight, long-term isn\u2019t always what Dallas is best at. After all, many of these problems aren\u2019t new.\u00a0<\/p>\n