Animal shelters in Brussels are currently at their maximum capacity, with many dogs, cats and rodents currently failing to find a home. Shelters are sounding the alarm and calling on people to adopt pets.
Waiting times for shelters are long, making it next to impossible to get rid of your pet, the shelters say. Stéphanie Devis of Help Animals in Anderlecht explains that they are always fully booked, on top of which there is a two-week waiting time for people who want to get rid of their pet.
“It's a nightmare for us, the waiting lists are long and we have to make room everywhere," Stéphanie Challe of the Ever'y Cat cat shelter told Bruzz. “We have a hundred or so host families we can count on, but the number of stray cats is too large and our resources too small.”
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Ludivine Nols from animal shelter Veeweyde struggles with similar problems. “We are constantly at our maximum capacity, as soon as one animal leaves the shelter, the next one arrives in no time,” she said.
Think twice
Animal welfare organisation Blue Cross says the main reason people bring their pets to a shelter is a lack of knowledge about the animal’s needs. “Although people often claim that a divorce or moving house is the main reason, I often read between the lines that it has little to do with it,” says Daria Sèlezneff.
“The character and needs of the breed must be known, otherwise it makes no sense to bring a dog into your home. Think twice about it.”
The Covid-19 crisis has also had an impact on the population of animals in shelters, as many people decided to adopt a cat or dog during the lockdown, but ended up regretting it once “normal” life resumed.
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“People often don't realise how much time goes into a pet. They work a lot and are constantly busy, so they never get their four-legged friend raised and he comes to us,” says Devis.
Though there have been calls for more funding for shelters in Brussels, the care, vaccinations, food and living costs of caring for stray animals continue to add up. Non-profit organisations pay for everything themselves, depending on donations and partnerships.
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Sterilisation
Many animals are not sterilised, which can add to the huge numbers of animals in several centres. Calling for stricter sanctions for failing to sterilise animals, Challe says “it is your duty as a citizen to do that.”
The cabinet of the Brussels Minister of Animal Welfare of Bernard Clerfayt (Défi) is working on a new awareness campaign to keep the situation under control.
If you are able and willing to adopt a furry friend, you can do so in one of Brussels’ ten animal shelters.
