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WARREN -- In Trumbull County, the animal shelters are facing an unprecedented challenge as they grapple with a surge in abandoned and surrendered pets.
With limited resources and overflowing kennels, these shelters are struggling to keep up with the demands of caring for these animals.
In her 11 years at the dog warden's office, Michelle Goss, executive dog warden of the Trumbull County Dog Pound, called the current state of affairs "the worst I've ever seen things in our area."
"Just like every other kennel probably in the area, we are all full and past capacity. We're keeping dogs in crates on the floor to make due, it's just up and down, there's no reprieve for anybody in the area," Goss said.
Goss emphasized the vital role of community support.
"The community is very supportive with giving us monetary donations for medical needs," she said, acknowledging the assistance of Voices of Trumbull Pound Dogs (VTPD), a local 501c3 organization, in offsetting essential expenses. "The VTPD, along with the public, helps us offset between roughly $85,000 to $100,000."
No matter their capacity, Goss explained, "By law, we have to take in strays and abandoned dogs off the street."
To ease some of the strain she says, "What we're doing is reaching out to other dog wardens, rescuers, shelters, anything to see if they can pull some dogs and help us out. But it's a constant rotation that seems never-ending with dogs coming in, and us trying to find a spot for them and a good home."
Jason Cooke, founder and director of the Healthy Hearts and Paws project, described their daily struggle since moving into a new facility on 909 Martin Luther King Boulevard SW in Warren.
"There's not a day that goes by where we have an open kennel for a cat or a dog," he said. "It's hard on the help, we're a volunteer-based organization."
While the new 26-acre facility is a significant improvement from its original location, which was actually the Brookfield home of Cooke converted into a shelter, Cooke said, "we're still expanding our operations."
He said there is a plan to add a building specifically for cats, which will free up the space they currently occupy for its initial purpose, which is a play area for the dogs.
Cooke said they intend to build a more extensive outdoor area for the animals to enjoy.
Cooke said the dogs at the shelter range from abandoned pets to rescues from abusive situations. He underscored the urgent need for donations and volunteers to sustain the HHP operation.
"We need donations. We need volunteers. We need people to come out here one or two days a week for a couple of hours and help us with these dogs and cats," he said.
Cooke also shed light on the heartbreaking situations they encounter.
"Just last week, someone passed away and they had six dogs with no family or friends to take the dogs, and we had to find homes for all six of them.
"The influx of animals has been steady since the pandemic," Cooke said. "Many of these animals come to us due to the aftermath of the pandemic, where people have lost their jobs or had to move in with friends or family, leaving their pets behind. Their income may no longer support the cost of caring for their animals, including food and veterinary care."
Cooke expressed concern over the ongoing demand for shelter, stating, "I receive calls from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from people around the Trumbull County area seeking refuge for cats or dogs."
Despite his best efforts, Cooke sometimes has to turn people away due to limited space.
He noted a shift in trends, noting "many of these animals aren't stray dogs because they have owners, but these owners often don't come for them. The script has flipped. It used to be that if you found 10 dogs, it'd be a given that at least eight of them would get reunited with their owner very quickly. Now it's like the opposite. It's like you're lucky to have three go back to their owner."
While the majority of calls they receive concern dogs, Cooke acknowledged the prevalence of cats in need as well.
"There are a lot of cats out there with no official dog warden-like figure to account for them," he said.
Explaining their approach to prioritizing animals when at capacity, Cooke said, "If an animal is sick, injured, or emaciated, those are the ones we're not going to turn away because they're suffering the most and more likely to die."
Stacey Willis, a representative from the historic Hot Dog Shoppe, said they're auctioning off the old shop's sign to help raise funds for Cooke's facility from 2 to 7 p.m. May 15.
Amy Marie Donatelli of Poland felt compelled to extend her furry family. Already caring for two pets, she welcomed a senior-aged chihuahua into her home, affectionately named Minnie, reminiscent of Minnie Mouse.
"I've had chihuahuas for the past 20 years. My oldest chihuahua passed away a year ago in January when she was 17, and I was just heartbroken. So when I saw this little dog in need of help, I knew I had to act. I went and picked her up, and she was just the perfect fit," Donatelli said.
Despite only joining the family a week ago, Minnie quickly adjusted to her new surroundings.
"She's so good with children, she's puppy pad trained, she's tiny but she's great. She'll even sleep in bed with me; she's been awesome," Donatelli said.
Donatelli's compassion extends beyond her own pets; for the past 16 years, she has been volunteering at no-kill cat shelters.
"I'm a big advocate of going to shelters and rescuing pets," she said. "Instead of buying from pet stores, there are so many good dogs and cats that need homes that get overlooked because they're not a certain breed.
"I just don't see paying thousands of dollars for an animal based on its breed or appearance when there are perfectly wonderful dogs in shelters and pounds. You know, they're still great dogs, even if they don't come with papers like you would get from a pet store."