Marion County Animal Shelter asking for public’s help with overcrowding

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The Marion County Animal Shelter is asking for the community’s help to volunteer, adopt, or foster to help deal with overcrowding at its facility.

The shelter took to its Facebook page to address the overcrowding issue. Eighty-four dogs on the property need to be moved. The shelter said they currently do not have space for the animals.

“Unfortunately, we can only house what we can humanely take care of,” the post said. “Each dog requires a minimum of 15 minutes for feeding and cleaning. This does not include walking, play time, enrichment, medications.”

The shelter went on to say the problem is a community problem and is the direct result of people breeding animals and then dumping, neglecting, and abusing them.

“These animals don’t just pop up on earth,” the shelter said. “Most of our dogs had a home at one point, even training at one point, most come in as strays never to be reclaimed. Puppies found in the middle of fields, in ditches. This is a community problem. We have to advocate for these animals. We have to teach each other right from wrong. We have to work together to get control of the situation.”

The shelter is asking for the community to step in by providing donations of dog food, cat food, cleaning supplies, collars and leashes. The shelter also needs dog walkers and volunteers to help clean, do laundry, and dishes.

The Marion County Animal Shelter is open Monday-Friday from 12 p.m. to 5p.m. for viewing of the animal’s and volunteers are welcome from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shelter is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The shelter has had similar issues in the past dealing with overcrowding.

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Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13 . She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13’s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylor’s work here .

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