PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Pine Bluff Animal Shelter says for months they’ve been dealing with overcrowding but if it gets any worse they might have to begin euthanizing.

Something they say they’re hoping to avoid by making a plea to the community. 

Marcus Graydon is the Director of Pine Bluff Animal Control he says the overcrowding well before the month of May. 

“The overcrowding actually started I want to say about 2-3 months ago,” Graydon said.

Graydon says they have more than 80 animals in their shelter and they’re in desperate need of adoptions. He goes on to say how if these animals are adopted, they would potentially get more than just a new home. 

“Come out and save a life,” Graydon urged.

Graydon says if numbers become higher, they might have to make a tough decision, one they don’t want to make. 

“We haven’t had to euthanize for space, but we are getting some in line just in case,” Graydon said. “Those are the ones that have been here for the longest.”

The cause of overcrowding, Graydon says, has to do with some pet owners dumping or releasing their pets. 

“When they become not so pretty small things and they become adults they will just dump them,” Graydon said. 

Graydon says overcrowding can also cause a virus to spread, something they’re seeing behind this door with their puppies. 

“Right now, we have this thing where puppies have parvo (Canine parvovirus) so we stopped all intake from puppies,” Graydon said.

He says they are working to handle the virus by doing treatments which he believes the puppies will recover by next week.

Graydon also says the shelter is also doing what they can to help foster and adopt animals to people by giving certain free care to them. 

Graydon also says they’ve been trying to post about the needed adoptions on Facebook to push adoptions and fostering. 
Graydon says on Saturday they have a dog parade at 1:30pm at Elga Lee Roberts Jefferson County Veterans Service Center.

For more information on this event and others go to their Facebook account.