US Animal Shelters Are Seeing Empty Kennels for the First Time

Some animal shelters are dealing with an unusual situation: empty kennels.

There’s been a push for pet fostering as a way to stave off loneliness (and help animals) in a time of social distancing. And that’s led to a growing number of shelters like Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, which recently showed off a vacant kennel.

Similar cases have been reported all over the U.S., including in Santa Rosa County, FL; Colorado Springs, CO; Ionia County, MI; Brazos County, TX; and Riverside, CA.

Friends of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control recently posted a video celebrating celebrating in Kennel 2, the shelter’s stray housing kennel and adoption overflow kennel.

The kennel features 48 dog runs, each of which often holds two dogs, CNN reports.

Elizabeth Harfmann, community outreach manager for the shelter, told the news outlet: “It’s definitely been a combined effort from the community. The animals went to foster homes, adopters and to our partner rescue organizations.”

There have also been fewer incoming pets, Harfmann said.