Coachella Valley Animal Campus facing big problem housing big dogs

At the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, hundreds of abandoned dogs are searching for their forever homes. "We are full," said Jaclyn Schart, Coachella Valley Animal Campus operations chief. "Every kennel we have for dogs is full." Schart says this animal shelter has a big problem housing big dogs. "We’re trying to figure out where all these dogs are coming from and why their owners aren’t coming for them," she said. "You’ll see most of them are in really good condition. They look like they belong on somebody’s couch, not here." Other animals are also starting to fill these kennels. A woman said she recently rescued two cats that she found abandoned in a dumpster. They were screened. The results, however, came up empty. "They’re not owned animals; they don’t have microchips," said a Coachella Valley Animal Campus employee. "We will keep them in our receiving area and our bed staff will process them." To help get these animals adopted, volunteers have started taking pictures of them in playful environments. "I think it makes a big difference so that people can see and connect with their personalities," said a Coachella Valley Animal Campus employee. Schart says this increase in abandoned animals is due to multiple reasons. "One of the theories we think is that, is it the economy," she said. "Is it the cost of owning a pet more expensive?" If concerned, here’s how you can help: adopt, foster ,and donate for spay and neuter costs. "If there are fees that people can’t pay for, we can help with that to make sure those pets get home," Schart said. Homes that they can hopefully call theirs forever. For more information on the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, visit their website at https://rcdas.org/ This story was written and reported by Kai Beech.