Fayette County Animal Shelter Still in Crisis Mode; Spay/Neuter Your Pets to Help Overpopulation

There just doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel as the shelter kicks off a new year: as of Jan. 17, the total intake for 2025 at the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter is 75: 33 dogs and 42 cats in need. As of Jan. 17, there are 82 animals in care: 68 dogs/14 cats. This number includes animals in the facility, in foster care for medical, waiting on available space, or awaiting transport to rescue partner. The solution to the problem is spay or neuter your dogs and cats. Preventing unwanted litters is the only way to manage the stray over population crisis in our community. In 2023 we cared for 1,597 unwanted dogs and cats and in 2024 a total of 1,682. GJAS has been serving the Fayette County Community for 25 years and 2024 was the highest number of intakes in its history.

Spay or neuter is the solution. If your pets are not sterilized, it’s not an unexpected litter; you can 100% expect it. It’s a fact that dogs and cats will roam for miles to find the female in season. Litters are born in ditches, under houses, in culverts and in the middle of pastures and are exposed to any number of diseases that can spread to your own beloved pets. Unvaccinated dogs and cats running at large is a public safety hazard: to you and your family, your pets, and livestock to name a few.

If communities in Fayette County would start and manage a true Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, we would see a decrease in community cats in a short period of time. Yes, spay or neuter and return to the same area believe it or not, is proven to be an extremely effective program for community cats. It will take a few years to really control the population, but it must start somewhere. A TNR program isn’t something GJAS can manage or fund, our hands are full. Talk to your city and county leaders, your neighbors. GJAS has tools, educational information, and partners that can help you. The stray animal overpopulation is a community problem that requires a community solution. GJAS offers a discount voucher program to the citizens of Fayette County for the spay or neuter of family pets. GJAS has a microchip special for Fayette County pets. A microchip increases the chances of being reunited with your pet by 73%. Call (979) 966-0021 for more information.

Statistics for the weeks of Jan. 1-17 include: Intake: 75 Adoptions: 38 Transferred to Rescue: 40 Return to Owner: 5 Humane Euthanasia: 6