The Santa Monica Animal Shelter reached its capacity for dogs last week and while a combination of efforts have since cleared room for new four-legged friends, officials said the shelter is preparing for additional intakes caused by seasonal fluctuations and ongoing economic conditions.
Martin Hernandez, lead animal control officer, said the shelter is operating at about 80% occupancy for dogs, while cat housing remains at seasonal norms for now. However, he said the volume of surrender inquiries (people who want to voluntarily give up their pets) in recent weeks raised concerns about the shelter being overwhelmed.
Hernandez said the shelter receives several surrender calls daily, most of them from people who do not live in Santa Monica. He attributed the trend in part to capacity issues at other facilities.
"What we're hearing is agencies in LA City or County are not accepting surrenders and are looking for an option elsewhere," he said.
The Santa Monica shelter only accepts surrenders from city residents. Hernandez said animals brought in as strays by people from outside the area are evaluated individually and staff determine whether the animal appears to be a genuine stray or whether the person bringing it in needs to relinquish ownership.
"We don't want to turn anyone away," Hernandez said. "We want people to feel secure."
He said surrender requests typically increase in summer months, driven by moves, college departures and other life changes, but that economic pressures are accelerating the trend this year.
"Right now people are saying they're having to move, downsize, or move in with family due to the economy," Hernandez said.
Approximately 5.8 million dogs and cats entered U.S. shelters in 2025, a 2.1% decline from the prior year, according to Shelter Animals Count data released by the ASPCA. Despite the overall dip in intake, owner surrenders rose to 30% of all intake in 2025, up from 29% in 2024 and 25% in 2023.
The year 2024 marked a grim milestone: for the first time since tracking began, more dogs than cats were killed in shelters, with 237,000 dogs euthanized — a 6.2% increase over the prior year, according to Shelter Animals Count. Shelters have operated at or above capacity for five consecutive years, and a cumulative surplus of 900,000 animals has built up since January 2021, the ASPCA said.
California records the highest municipal shelter euthanasia rate in the nation at 17%, double the national average of 8.5%, according to Shelter Animals Count. The state, along with Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, accounts for 44% of all shelter euthanasia nationally. Roughly 450,000 animals entered California shelters in 2023, though significant data gaps persist — fewer than 40% of the state's shelters report to the national database.
Los Angeles Animal Services shelters have had ongoing problems with capacity, with dog euthanasia surging 72% in the first nine months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, according to city Controller Kenneth Mejia's office. The agency took in roughly 39,000 animals in 2023 and reported more than 900 dogs in custody as of May 2025, with its South Los Angeles shelter seeing a 32% intake surge year over year, according to Los Angeles Animal Services.
The spcaLA identified housing as the top reason for surrenders in the region, overtaking behavioral issues. LA County officials have also pointed to a pandemic-era breeding boom, deferred spay-neuter surgeries and overwhelmed rescue partners, according to LA County Animal Care & Control. The January 2025 wildfires further strained the system, with Pasadena Humane alone processing nearly 1,000 displaced animals.
On a positive note, Hernandez said adoptions last week helped ease crowding, and a rescue partner took several dogs. The shelter also recently received its first two litters of kittens of the year, a sign that the busy spring-and-summer cat season is underway. Hernandez said cat and kitten intakes spike significantly during that period each year.
Santa Monica operates as a “no kill” shelter maintaining a live release rate above 90%, Hernandez said. That means animals can linger at the shelter and one dog is approaching his year-anniversary.
Shelter workers said Target is such a good boy who loves to play fetch and loves belly rubs. He has been waiting since May 2025 and officials are still hopeful he can find his forever home. Target is up for adoption from the Santa Monica Shelter at 1640 9th St. Call (310) 458-8595 for more information.
Among other animals in the shelter's care, staff have been working with a pair of guinea pigs since September and recently dealt with a rabbit that was loose near the Civic Center for about a month.
Hernandez said residents can help by adopting, spreading the word through friends and family, and donating supplies such as kitten food, toys and training treats, which he said the shelter goes through quickly. For a more information on donations, visit the Santa Monica Animal Foundation’s website at https://www.smasf.org/.
The shelter will host an open house June 6. Hernandez encouraged residents to attend.
"It's a great way of letting people know we exist," he said. "It's helpful when residents visit and see the work we do."