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Kern County animal shelters overwhelmed with 163 dogs after July 4th holiday

Kern County animal shelters overwhelmed with 163 dogs after July 4th holiday
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Animal Services is facing a capacity crisis in the aftermath of Independence Day celebrations, with 163 dogs already taken in this year and kennels filled to overflowing.

Walking through the shelter, the sound of desperate barking echoes through hallways lined with kennels that were briefly empty just last week but are now completely full again.

"It was just last week that some of the other rescue partners pulled many dogs from the shelter. There was some open space — and just like that, it's full again," said Courtney Clerico, a volunteer with Foster Tales.

Shelter Director Nick Cullen confirms the surge is consistent with patterns seen in previous years, but that doesn't make the situation any less dire.

"More dogs coming into a shelter that's already over capacity — that's a strain on resources. We've had to add more kennels just to manage the overflow," Cullen said.

To help alleviate the burden, Clerico's nonprofit is partnering with the shelter to place dogs in foster homes. Today, she's fostering three dogs, including a pug suffering from eye damage.

"We need more low-cost clinic options for people who can't afford the rising cost of vet care," Clerico said.

Many of the dogs arriving at the shelter are injured or sick, putting additional pressure on both the shelter's resources and the nonprofits trying to help. With the continuous influx of stray and surrendered animals, Clerico urges pet owners to act quickly if their pet goes missing.

"I would recommend coming in person and looking through the kennels to see if your dog is here," Clerico said.

She also recommends checking social media, distributing lost pet posters throughout the neighborhood, and—most importantly—ensuring pets are microchipped to facilitate reunification.

As I walked through our neighborhood shelter, I could see the stress on the faces of both the animals and the dedicated staff working tirelessly to care for them.

Many of these dogs are beloved pets from our community who got spooked by fireworks and ran away during celebrations.

For residents searching for missing pets, the shelter is offering a grace period until July 14, allowing owners to reclaim their animals free of charge.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.


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