South Carolina Animal Shelters Declare State of Emergency
Everyone has a part in this rescue mission!
The lives of thousands of animals in shelters across South Carolina are at stake, as homeless animals have been pouring into shelters for weeks. To solve this unprecedented crisis in SC, shelters across the state have joined together to launch “Summer Slam Emergency Rescue Operation.” This emergency event is being led by No Kill South Carolina 2024 (a program of Charleston Animal Society) and the South Carolina Animal Care and Control Association (SCACCA).
WAYS TO HELP:
Citizens
- Adopt: Make room for one more.
- Foster: Make space until shelters make it through this crisis.
- Sponsor: Pay adoption fees for other families to make room for one more.
- Help friendly lost pets find their way back home instead of taking them to shelters.
Businesses and Organizations
- Be an ambassador for animals in need. Foster an animal for a week and work with your colleagues and customers to find your foster animal a home.
- Sponsor adoption fees for animals.
Veterinarians
- Help with the backlog of animals awaiting spay/neuter surgeries due to the veterinary shortage. Contact NKSC or your local shelter for details.
Rescue Groups
- Take in a shelter animal that typically does not fit your criteria, such as an at-risk breed or large dog.
- Use social media to help spread the word about the crisis.
Government
- Minimize intake through this crisis. Bring in only animals in danger, such as severely ill or injured animals, or those that are a danger to the public.
Animal Shelters
- Waive or significantly reduce adoption fees.
- Put managed moratoriums on intake, taking in emergency cases only.
- Reach out to out-of-state organizations for transfer; fast-track the most adoptable animals to make space for others.
- Extend operating hours/days.
- Bring in volunteer support to help in new ways.
Media
- Heavily promote this campaign as earned media. Shelters are financially strapped trying to save these animals.
- Run Public Service Announcements.
- Contact NKSC for stories in your area.
To our supporters and animal lovers, please reach out to your veterinarians and ask them to contact local shelters to help with the spay/neuter backlog. Berkeley Animal Care and Dorchester Paws are in desperate need of help and are willing to pay for services, they just need an extra set of hands.