Cancún Animal Shelter Overwhelmed, Caring for 96 Dogs and Cats

Cancún, Quintana Roo — A surge in animal abuse cases has pushed the city’s Municipal Institute for Animal Protection and Welfare to its limit, with 96 dogs and cats currently in its care, director Yuli Lázaro said.

Lázaro said the number of animals arriving at the institute after being abandoned or mistreated is growing faster than the rate of adoptions, and she urged families considering a pet to take on the commitment responsibly.

She explained that animals stay at the facility as long as it takes to find them a home, and stressed that the institute does not euthanize healthy animals.

To cope with the overcrowding, the institute also relies on foundations, independent rescuers and residents who offer temporary foster homes, giving the animals care and a second chance.

Lázaro acknowledged that one of the biggest obstacles to adoption is the difficulty some families face in keeping pets in rental housing because of restrictions imposed by landlords.

Despite those hurdles, she said several of the sheltered animals have found families, though many others are still waiting for a permanent home.

The institute reiterated the importance of weighing financial resources, living space and available time before adopting, so that an irresponsible decision does not end in the animal being abandoned or mistreated once again.