WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — Today the Animal Welfare Board of Waco met to discuss placing shelter animals in homes and behavioral evaluations.

One of the biggest topics, the number of dogs coming through the Humane Society’s doors.

Unfortunately, euthanization has become a common practice lately in Central Texas because shelters cannot handle the number of dogs requiring long term housing.

This is a nationwide problem, but local shelters have hit maximum capacity, calling out for help with fostering and adopting.

The maximum capacity for the Humane Society shelter is 189 dogs and 37 cats.

Shortening the length of each dog’s stay at the shelter is the overall goal.

City of Waco Operations Director, Melissa Sheldon, urges the public to do their part.

“Community support to help maintain our no kill status by fostering, adopting, making sure their neighbors animals are spay neuter, making sure their animals are spayed or neutered, microchipping their animals with accurate information so that we can get animals home to owners and vaccinating their animals so that we help prevent disease in the community as well.”

Right now, the Humane Society is under the no kill policy which means they save every dog or cat in the shelter that can be saved.

The required percentage to be considered no kill is 90%. In 2022, the shelter stayed around 98%.

Time in shelter is the greatest risk factor for illness over age and vaccine status.

Dogs with more lengthy stays are vaccinated every 2 weeks to support their overall health.

The Humane Society’s Goal is to find dogs a forever home and move them out of the shelter as quickly as possible.