MOLINE, Ill. — QC Paws Animal Shelter in Moline is dealing with a serious overcrowding issue, with 480 animals including over 300 cats and 100 dogs, as shelters nationwide face similar crises. Economic pressures and slow adoption rates are making things worse, so the shelter is calling on the community to help by adopting cats or dogs.
Samantha Wiley, Operations Manager at QC Paws, described the situation as dire.
"I think every shelter right now is at capacity. We are definitely full. The animals just keep coming in, and it's a crisis everywhere. It's not just our shelter; all the shelters are full," Wiley said.
The sudden surge in animals isn't isolated to Moline. Wiley believes that broader economic pressures and uncertainty are leading people to surrender their pets or not reclaim them when they go missing.
"I think it's the economy. People are afraid about finances. I'm unsure why people aren't picking their animals up when they're running at large," she added.
Compounding the problem is the fact that adoptions and animal redemptions have slowed to a crawl. This has led to overcrowding, with many animals living in crates for extended periods as the shelter runs out of space.
"The bad part is that some of these animals are residing in crates for long periods of time, and the kennels aren't opening up. Adoptions are slow, and people redeeming their animals is slow, so it's hard. It's definitely hard," Wiley said.
Despite these challenges, Wiley remains hopeful that the community will continue to support the shelter. She noted that the public has already contributed several bags of food, enough to last about a week, and encourages anyone considering adopting or fostering an animal to visit the shelter.
"If you're somebody who's looking for some forever love from an animal, we have lots down here that are just wonderful," she said.
QC Paws is urging the public to consider adopting to help ease the overcrowding. For more information on how you can help, visit the shelter's website and contact them directly.