VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) The Vermilion Parish Rabies Animal Control is faced with euthanizing many animals because of overcapacity.
As News 10’s Rodricka Taylor reports, it’s an issue the shelter is trying to overcome.
It’s a decision they didn’t even have to consider for the last eight years.
The Vermilion Parish Rabies Animal Control’s mission is to take care of as many animals as possible, but they are at capacity, forcing them to think otherwise.
Debbie Garrot, who manages the facility, said they are at almost 40 dogs over the capacity of the facility.
“Many of our dogs now are spayed and neutered. They are heartworm treated. I just don’t know what the problem is, that there seems to be a low in animals leaving our facility. “It seems to not be happening as frequently as it was in the past, and maybe that’s because they are focusing on shelters that actually do kill.”
Garrot adds that they will be a kill shelter if the animals don’t move out of the facility quickly.
The animals have 7 to 10 days to become rescued or fostered.
“We have numerous dogs in large wide crates because there’s no regular kennel to place them inside of. Our animals are really wonderful, of course, pit or pit mixes, but they have wonderful personalities.”
Garrot can’t bring herself to have to make the decision to euthanize the animals.
“I can’t even go there because it is my decision,” she said and it’s the worst decision to decide if an animal has to die that has done nothing to deserve death only because we are so over capacity because people abandon dogs.”
While News 10 was at the shelter doing our interview, a man brought in more dogs. Garrot said the man threatened to kill the dogs himself if the shelter did not take them.
“It’s not the perfect life for a dog, absolutely not, but it is better than what they come from. Many dogs come to us, but they’re nothing but skin and bones. Near-death from heartworms or just lack of nutrition and it’s horrible,” she said.
While the number of surrendered dogs increases, Garrot is looking for other opportunities to keep the deaths at zero.
“I agree to work for the police jury in this capacity to help them to make Vermilion Parish Rabies animal control a better place for all, that is my mission.”
The shelter says their biggest need right now is fostering.
If you would like to help, you can contact the shelter and ask for Debbie Garrot at 337-643-3160 or email at vermilionanimal333@gmail.com. From now until the end of April, adoption fees for shelter dogs are cut in half, meaning it’s only $75 to take home a pup from the Vermilion Parish Shelter.
The business is open on Monday-Friday Opens 10-3 p.m. and Sat. 10-2 p.m. and closed on Sunday.
