Right now, animal shelters across Oregon are facing an unprecedented crisis. Shelters from Portland to Medford are overflowing, with kennels doubling up and animals waiting in hallways because there’s simply no room left. Staff and volunteers are working around the clock, but they can’t keep up.

One of the biggest reasons? Families who deeply love their pets are being forced to give them up because they can no longer afford basic care. Rising costs of food, rent, and veterinary bills — driven higher by inflation — are pushing people to make heartbreaking choices.

This isn’t just an animal welfare issue. It’s a community emergency. Without immediate action, shelters will have to turn away animals, meaning more pets will be abandoned, more will suffer on the streets, and more heartbroken families will be torn apart.

We’re calling on Oregon’s Governor and state legislature to immediately release emergency funding to support:

• Shelter operations so they can care for the growing number of animals.
• Low-cost pet food and veterinary assistance programs to help families keep their pets during hard times.

Oregonians take pride in caring for our own — and that includes the animals who bring us joy, companionship, and unconditional love. When families are forced to surrender pets because of economic hardship, we all lose. 

A small investment now can prevent a much bigger crisis later. It will keep animals safe, reduce overcrowding, and preserve the special bond between people and their pets.

The animals in our shelters don’t have a voice — but we do. Let’s use it. Please sign this petition and urge Oregon’s leaders to step in with emergency funding before the situation gets worse. Together, we can make sure no pet is left without a home because of financial hardship.