MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCSC) — The Berkeley County Animal Shelter is offering free dog adoptions as ongoing construction temporarily reduces the facility’s available space for animals.
The shelter is adding outdoor space to its dog runs and also building an expanded adoption center. Until construction is complete, 10 of the 20 kennels on the adoption floor and 25% of total kennel space are unavailable.
To move dogs out faster, the shelter is waiving adoption fees for dogs six months and older. Additionally, puppy adoptions are available at 50% off. Shelter officials are also asking community members to consider long-term fostering or volunteering to walk dogs.
Aldwin Roman, the vice president and chief operating officer of the Charleston Animal Society, said the construction is creating a difficult situation for animals already in the shelter’s care.
“They are adding in an outdoor portion to the dog runs, which is going to be a great thing when it’s done, but the problem for us is it cuts out 50% of our adoption floor, about 25% of all of the kennel space we have in the shelter,” Roman said. “So it’s really putting us in a really difficult spot when we have a lot of dogs already in our care.”
Roman said the shelter will not euthanize animals for space.
“We have to find somewhere for them. We aren’t going to euthanize animals for space. We never do that,” Roman said. “But it just puts us in a much tougher spot. It means dogs are staying longer in the shelter because they have less of an opportunity to be shown off. They spend more time in the shelter, which is really bad for their mental health.”
Dogs that cannot be placed at the Berkeley location will temporarily move to the Charleston location. Shelter officials said cat season is weeks away and they want as many dogs placed as possible before that surge begins.
Construction on the new space is expected to wrap up in November. A full list of adoptable dogs can be found at the Charleston Animal Society website.
