Hundreds of animals at the Laguna Madre Humane Society in Port Isabel are in need of foster homes due to the over population at the no-kill shelter.
"The animals didn't do this,” Laguna Madre Humane Society Vice President Catherine Carter. “People neglect spaying and neutering and their breeding habits.”
With more than 200 dogs and cats already at the shelter, workers are struggling to maintain these animals and welcome any more animals in need of a home.
"We try to be a no-kill shelter, but it's very difficult to do," Carter said.
In the efforts to try to spare as many animals' lives as possible, humane society directors are asking for the public's help in fostering some of the animals.
"The foster homes are not committed to keeping the animal - if it doesn’t work out they bring it back,” Carter said. “Some people fall in love and (the foster home) becomes a permanent home.”
Carter said several factors have led to this problem like animal control picking up stray animals or owners having to give up their pets because they can no longer take care of them because of health or financial problems.
The foster parents would be responsible for housing and feeding the animals and the humane society would take care of the animal’s medical needs.
In return, the foster parents will have the opportunity to take a family portrait with their foster pet on the beaches of South Padre Island and receive unconditional love.
"(Pets) offer such love and comfort and we've seen it when someone has diabetes in the leg and the dog instantly knows or someone is prone for seizures the dog just picks this up - they are just a great gift to the human race," Carter said.
And for those who are still undecided if they can take up a foster pet ...Professional animal trainer Jennifer Ceballos said shelter dogs can be very easily trainable to meet different living environments.
"A lot of times when dogs are turned into a shelter, they do have very easily fixable behavior problems like jumping up on people maybe potty training - something that's easily fixable,” Carter said.
The humane society is looking for at least 12 foster homes to help alleviate the overcrowding at the shelter.
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