Since 2020, shelters nationwide have seen a steady increase in animal intakes, with adoption rates failing to keep pace. Shelters across the country are now in their fourth year of being overcrowded, particularly with dogs.

Access to and affordability of veterinary care has also declined, leaving many people in financial precarity that affects their pets. Many people who deeply love their pets are forced to give them up because they can no longer afford their care.

As a result, the list of people waiting to surrender animals continues to grow.

The crisis faced by the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) is not confined to the shelter itself but is a community-wide issue that demands collective action. Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Building more shelters is not the solution. Regardless of how many shelters are constructed, there will always be a need for more. While we strive to help every animal in need, our resources and space are limited. We need individual action to make a difference.

There are numerous ways you can help. OPHS urgently requests and appreciates community support in the form of adopting or fostering from local shelters or rescue organizations, spaying or neutering pets, and volunteering or donating.

Additionally, we urge people to stop supporting backyard and at-home breeders. We frequently receive litters of intentionally bred puppies that the breeders could not sell. There are simply not enough homes for the number of animals needing re-homing.

Carefully consider your lifestyle before committing to a pet and exhaust all options before deciding to re-home your pet.

Adopting a pet is not only a compassionate choice but also the most sustainable and socially conscious option which helps alleviate the shelter crisis instead of compounding it.

Jason Stipp is executive director of the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, a private, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Reach him at jasonstipp@ophumanesociety.org.