Shelter Seeks Home for Dog Facing Euthanasia
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) shelter in Phoenix, Arizona is facing a heartbreaking dilemma as they race against the clock to find a forever home for a beloved 3-year-old rescue who is likely to be euthanized at the end of business on August 29 if not adopted.
Balboa, a long-term resident of the shelter, is in urgent need of adoption due to his deteriorating health and the overwhelming strain on the shelter’s resources.
Balboa, who has spent nearly 250 days in the shelter, has been battling recurring ear infections and has recently developed heart murmurs. The medical care required to address these conditions is beyond the capabilities of the shelter, leaving Balboa’s future uncertain.
Despite his health challenges, Balboa remains a cheerful and playful companion. He is known for his love of children, his obedience skills, and his ability to get along with other dogs. The shelter believes that Balboa would thrive in an active household where he can receive the love, attention, and medical care he deserves.
In a desperate plea for help, the shelter has taken to social media to share Balboa’s story and urge the community to step in.
The post has garnered significant attention and numerous offers to adopt the beloved dog. However, as of now, Balboa’s adoption remains pending.
“We have seen some comments on social media of people expressing interest but nothing official yet,” the shelter spokesman reportedly said to Newsfeed We know our volunteers love him and are working hard to find him a good home. His deadline is August 29, so he will need to be adopted by end of business that day.”
The shelter is urging anyone who can provide Balboa with a loving home and the necessary medical care to please come forward. Time is of the essence, and the shelter is hopeful that a compassionate family will step up to give Balboa the chance at a happy and healthy life.
Balboa is one of 950 dogs currently housed at a shelter designed for almost half that number. The overwhelming number of residents is putting both the dogs and the shelter staff under immense stress. The shelter has been putting drastic effort to cope with the overwhelming number of residents that they waived adoption fees on International Dogs Day to encourage more people to adopt.
“As of this morning we have 962 dogs, which is about 300 over our ideal capacity of 640. Being this far over capacity is extremely difficult on the staff and the animals,” MCACC said. “Operating with hundreds of dogs over capacity places people and dogs at risk. With capacity levels where they are, dogs’ medical and behavioral norms change. Dogs that are happy and healthy when our shelter has around 650 dogs, for example, might not be when the shelter has 750 or 800 dogs—let alone more than 900. We wish it were not the case, but the reality is that the stress caused by high capacity has a very big impact on both dogs and humans.”
