KHS waiving adoption fees for adult dogs as Louisville groups work to combat shelter overcrowding

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville groups are stepping up to help dogs find their forever homes in an effort to combat overcrowding in the city's animal shelters.

The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) will waive adoption fees for a week for those wanting to bring home a new family member.

The Caring Community adoption event will run from Friday, Jan. 13 through Friday, Jan. 20 at KHS' Main and East campus adoption centers.

Adoption fees will be waived for adult dogs during the event. The fee is usually $200. Adopters will still be required to pay a $10.50 licensing fee, and donations are "greatly appreciated," officials said.

KHS joins shelters across the country in experiencing an increase in animals being surrendered, leaders said Thursday. Nationwide, owner surrenders and other intakes have increased by 9.5% over the last year, but adoptions are down.

The shelter said it has brought in several at-risk animals from local shelters in addition to 29 dogs from Eastern Kentucky animal shelters still recovering from major flooding in July.

KHS said the goal is to free up space at its adoption centers so more dogs and cats can be rescued from overcrowded shelters in Louisville and Kentucky.

The agency said that as the "largest animal adoption agency in Kentucky," overcrowded shelters in the state rely on them to take in animals.

"We are relying on our compassionate community to help save the lives of hundreds of our community's animals during this adoption event," Karen Koenig, vice president of Animal Welfare at KHS, said. "If you've been thinking of adopting, now is the time. You're not just giving an urgently needed home to an animal in need, you're freeing up space so that we can save the lives of animals from across our state who are more at-risk than they've been in years."

The adoption event is taking place at both KHS locations, the Main Campus at 241 Steedly Drive and the East Campus at 1000 Lyndon Lane. The shelters are open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. Appointments are not required.

To look at adoptable dogs at both KHS campuses, click here.

This comes about a week after Louisville Metro Animal Services had euthanize two dogs last Tuesday due to lack of space at its shelter. Although the dogs weren't up for adoption, a spokesperson said under normal circumstances the dogs would have been placed into behavioral programs to try to change their status and called the situation "devastating" for the shelter, which had held its "no-kill" status since 2017.

LMAS has been stepping up adoption efforts in recent months in the hopes of maintaining its "no-kill" status, which had been in jeopardy due to overcrowding.

Right now, LMAS is currently waiving its fees to reclaim strays and the adoption costs for dogs over 40 pounds.

Two Louisville dog park/bars are also stepping up in an effort to encourage adoptions. Both PG&Js Dog Park Bar, on Baxter Avenue, and Club K9 Dog Bar, on Taylorsville Road, are offering free, one-year memberships to those who adopt a dog from LMAS. PG&Js is offering the memberships through Feb. 1, while Club K9 is providing memberships through Jan. 22.

"You're really saving two lives because you're adopting one and then you're making room in the shelter for another to come in," PG&J owner Gina Nobles said. "It's urgent now. We need to do something about it."

PB&J Dog Bar is also offering free admission to someone fostering a pup from LMAS. They are promoting long-term shelter dogs waiting for a home, helping with meet-and-greets for potential owners, and holding events to promote adoption.

To find out more information on how to adopt or foster from LMAS, click here.