Overcrowding forces shelter to euthanize animals

More than 5,500 animals have been euthanized at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control this year.

"Only about half of the animals are making it out of here alive," said Adam Garrett with Animal Care and Control.

Animal control officials said while they do all they can to get the animals to local animal rescue groups or even better, adopted, half of the time they're unsuccessful and euthanization is the only remaining option.

"It hurts it hurts deeply I had to lose her like that I'm coming forward to take the dog," owner Ty Farmer said.

Farmer, owner of an adult pitbull boxer mix, is still struggling from the loss of his dog. She was euthanized early Thursday morning.

In Marion County, Animal control is only required to keep strays for a four day period. The ordinance reads:
"An animal not claimed within the four-day impoundment period may be kept, adopted, rescued by a humane or breed rescue organization or otherwise humanely disposed of."

Thursday marked day five for Farmer's dog. She had gotten lose on Saturday. He found her at Animal Control on Tuesday but couldn't pay up until Thursday morning.

He repeats a conversation he had with staff Wednesday.
 
"She said that if an animal group didn't take the dog I could come in Thursday morning with $60 and possibly get the dog. Well this morning at 7:32 a.m., they euthanized the dog," he said.

What Farmer said he didn't realize then was that there was no guarantee the dog would not be euthanized. Simply stepping up claiming the dog was not enough.

"When we are in a situation right now with so many animals at the shelter and such limited space, we may hold the animal and while the owner who may or may not come back the dog is sitting there, we may have to euthanize a perfectly healthy dog," Garrett said.