CEDAR CITY — An older man enters the Cedar City Animal Adoption Shelter, carrier in hand. Inside is a black cat; its pupils are enlarged, its ears are tucked back, and it meows loudly. But when shelter staff pet the cat with a pen, it doesn’t react aggressively.
Luckily for the man and the cat, while the shelter is bustling and many of the kennels are full, there’s room for one more. But this isn’t always the case.
And for that reason and others, the shelter is making some changes.
Earlier this month, the Cedar City Council approved increasing the surrender fee at the shelter from $100 to $400. Shelter manager Brittany McCabe told St. George News they began looking into the fee and the issue of surrenders generally after the city received a complaint for a surrender that was not accepted.
In researching the matter, the city determined the surrender fee was lower than many others across the state and requested the increase.
“We were undercharging in comparison,” McCabe said.
Taking in surrendered pets is a courtesy the facility provides but is not part of its stated purpose, McCabe added.
“The Cedar City Division of Animal Control serves the residents of Cedar City by providing temporary care for lost, stray and sick or injured animals captured and/or secured within city limits,” she said, quoting the city’s ordinance. “In addition, the division strives to prevent animal cruelty and suffering, enforces animal protection laws and teaches humane principles in the community.”
McCabe said the shelter’s acceptance of surrenders is also limited, as not all dogs that need to be rehomed are adoptable through a city-owned facility. For instance, those with a history of biting may need to be euthanized because of the risk they pose to shelter staff and other animals while increasing the shelter’s liability.
“It’s not my job to euthanize someone’s dog,” she said, adding that pet owners should consult with their vet for potential options.
“If the dog is highly aggressive or highly vicious, it’s cheaper for them to go put it down at a vet where it’s nicer — they can be with it,” McCabe added.
The shelter is also working to maintain its no-kill status — saving, rather than euthanizing, over 90% of the animals in its care. The shelter first met this goal in 2022 and recently received a second plaque for 2023.
The day before her interview with St. George News, McCabe said the shelter received four phone calls and two in-person visits from people attempting to surrender their pets. And facilities across the country contact them for help “because everyone is so overrun.”
“We do as much as we possibly can for people,” she said.
While over 65 cats and 60 dogs have been adopted from the shelter this year, many more still need homes, McCabe said.
“I don’t think the public is truly aware of the limited space we have,” she said. “So we only have nine adoptable dog kennels — that’s it. And when a dog is surrendered, it’s immediately available for adoption. If I don’t have an open kennel in adoptable, I can’t take that dog.”
There are also nine stray kennels, but even when they are empty, they are reserved for stray dogs and emergencies. And many of the facility’s kennels were not intended to house cats and dogs permanently, such as the two intake kennels for dogs, which don’t allow access to the outdoors, increasing their stress.
Additionally, dog kennels are occasionally filled by other species, like goats, chickens or sheep, until they can be adopted or their owners pick them up, McCabe said.
For cats, the shelter has 16 kennels for adoptable felines, 16 for strays, two for ferals, two for those with medical needs, two for mother cats and kittens, and a playroom that can hold 10-12 cats before it becomes “stinky,” she said.
Still, the shelter doesn’t plan to leave pet owners out in the cold. Staff may write down details or share pictures of the dog they’d like to surrender, potentially connecting the pet with would-be adopters who have a wishlist.
Additionally, McCabe said that those who are looking to rehome their pets because they cannot afford to feed them may be able to receive pet food from the shelter’s pantry.
“If that’s the only thing that’s keeping them from not being able to keep their dog, I’m happy to give them food whenever we have it,” she said. “You just can’t be picky about what you get.”
Other resources include an informational sheet about rehoming a pet, including how to create an advertisement and interview potential new homes, a list of Facebook groups that allow users to post about adoptable animals and links to additional information.
Additionally, McCabe encourages potential pet owners to do their research before adopting to ensure the pet will fit their lifestyle and that their landlord will allow them to have an animal.
“Adopting a pet should never be impulsive,” she said.
Who are these dogs, and where did they come from?
A man traveling through Cedar City attempted to surrender one of his dogs, as it had gotten into an altercation with their other canine over food while on a road trip. McCabe said the dog was later left on state Route 14.
“We’re having people do stuff like that — people from out of the area,” she said. “It’s crazy, and we’re a tiny shelter compared to a lot of (others).”
McCabe said the shelters in Enoch and Parowan are experiencing similar issues, which staff discuss at regular meetings. The facilities also scan for microchips when an animal is found at large and collaborate to track attempted surrenders.
“We have a shared spreadsheet. We know when people call to surrender — all of us know,” she said. “Because if that dog gets dumped at one of the other areas, we have the owner’s info.”
Animals that are abandoned create a new set of issues for shelters as they come with many unknowns.
“We don’t know the behaviors,” McCabe said. “We don’t know the needs of that dog. We have to learn it and it takes a while.”
Dogs may arrive with various behavioral or medical needs — some of which could be life-threatening. McCabe encourages people who see posts about abandoned animals on the shelter’s Facebook page to step forward and provide as much information as possible.
“Even knowing if the dog is diabetic or something could save its life,” she said, adding that a surprising number of dogs also have chicken allergies — the primary ingredient in the dog food they use.
“Someone knows who these dogs are or where they came from — somebody knows,” McCabe added.
Photo Gallery
Shelter manager Brittany McCabe discusses the Cedar City Animal Adoption Shelter, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Jessi the dog cuddles up against her kennel for some love, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Monty the dog greets shelter staff, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Moose the dog wags her tail, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A dog sits on bedding at the Cedar City Animal Adoption Shelter, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A kitten plays, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Riley, an adoptable puppy, greets shelter staff, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Ivy presses her nose against the bars, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A kitten plays, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A kitten plays, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A kitten wanders in the playroom, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News A kitten plays, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Jessi the dog cuddles up against her kennel for some love, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Spicy, an adoptable cat, greets shelter staff, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News The Cedar City Animal Adoption Shelter receives no-kill recognition for 2023, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News Jessi the dog waits to be pet, Cedar City, Utah, June 25, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News
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