California Cuts Holding Time Of Shelter Dogs
Sadly, it’s official, California has cut the holding time of shelter dogs from six days to three. In 1997 the Hayden Bill, otherwise known as the Animal Adoption Mandate, required shelters to hold abandoned animals a minimum of four days and usually up to six.
The passing of the new budget has undone what this bill was meant to do, give owners time to find their lost pets. It’s not always easy to track down your pet when there are multiple shelters in the area. Having extra time also gave kill shelters a chance to transfer some of the animals to rescue organizations or no-kill shelters. Now that the time has been cut in half not nearly as many animals are going to be saved.
“It makes a difference because for some animals every day counts,” said Cindy Machado of the Marin Humane Society, which does not euthanize animals that can be adopted. Instead, the society rescues thousands of animals facing death at other shelters.
“The new law will affect a lot of the shelters that we rescue animals from because, especially in this economy, they are bursting at the seams,” she said.
