Across South Dakota, animal shelters are in crisis. Rising inflation and financial strain have forced too many loving pet owners to make the heartbreaking choice to surrender their animals. Shelters are overflowing, staff are exhausted, and there simply aren’t enough resources to provide safe, humane care for every dog, cat, and small animal arriving at their doors.

In recent months, shelter managers have reported turning away animals because every kennel is full. Others are scrambling to find foster families while relying on already stretched donations to cover food, medical care, and basic supplies. Many of these animals once had stable homes—they were surrendered not because their families didn’t care, but because those families could no longer afford veterinary bills, rent, or even pet food in the face of rising costs.

This is not just an animal welfare issue—it’s a community emergency. Overcrowded shelters increase the risk of disease outbreaks, heighten stress and aggression in animals, and place unbearable emotional strain on shelter staff and volunteers. Without urgent help, more pets could face euthanasia simply due to lack of space and funding.

We are calling on state leaders, local governments, and community partners to take immediate action by:

• Allocating emergency state funding to South Dakota’s municipal and nonprofit shelters
• Establishing a temporary financial assistance program to help struggling families keep their pets at home
• Supporting statewide foster recruitment and volunteer programs to relieve overcrowding

South Dakotans care deeply about their pets and their neighbors. Together, we can prevent this crisis from worsening. By acting now, we can keep more animals in loving homes, protect shelter staff from burnout, and ensure no pet is lost simply because there wasn’t enough room or resources to save them.

Please sign and share this petition. Our shelters—and the animals depending on them—can’t wait any longer.