Behind every last call is a living being who is scared, waiting, and completely dependent on us to do better than this.

This is bigger than one dog and bigger than one heartbreaking post. The economic and housing crisis affects animals, too. Financial hardship, unaffordable veterinary care, and limited pet-friendly housing can separate dogs from the families they love. Others are surrendered or abandoned when they become sick or old, precisely when they need comfort and care most. Dogs become the overlooked victims, losing their homes while overcrowded shelters struggle to protect them. When shelters are overcrowded, animals are pushed into crisis because there are not enough foster homes, not enough support, and not enough capacity to keep giving them a real chance. The people caring for these animals are stretched beyond reason, and the animals pay the price for a system that waits until the last possible moment. 

According to Shelter Animals Count’s 2025 Annual Data Report, approximately 5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues nationwide, and 4.2 million were adopted. An estimated 320,000 dogs were euthanized, nearly 900 every day. Preventing deaths caused by a lack of space or resources must be a priority.

I am calling on local leaders to fund emergency intake support, foster recruitment, and short-term shelter relief so overcrowding does not keep turning into life-or-death last calls. We need real resources for animal shelters, including staffing support, foster coordination, and community programs that help move animals into safe homes before they reach the edge. If we say we care about animals, then our budgets and policies need to show it.

Please sign this petition if you believe shelters should not be left to carry this alone and dogs should not lose their lives because the system ran out of room. One more light going out should be unacceptable to all of us.