San Diego Shelter Crisis: 274 Animals in 24 Hours, 1,678 Total

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The San Diego Humane Society hit breaking point last Thursday when 274 animals arrived in just one day, pushing their total to a staggering 1,678 animals.

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"It was an extraordinary day, unlike any other," says Nina Thompson as staff rushed to provide food, space, and medical care for each new arrival.

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The day began with 96 guinea pigs from one Escondido home - many potentially pregnant, meaning numbers could grow even higher in coming weeks.

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50 baby chicks arrived next at their El Cajon location - abandoned at the post office after someone ordered them online from Utah but never picked them up.

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The pressure mounted as 127 dogs and cats arrived throughout the day, including 44 from overcrowded Los Angeles shelters that had completely run out of space.

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A starving horse found abandoned on the San Pasqual Reservation was brought directly to the shelter by tribal police - there was simply no time to wait.

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Every animal needed checking, vaccines, and flea treatment, with many requiring immediate medical attention from the shelter's overwhelmed vet team.

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What happens when a shelter designed for hundreds suddenly must care for nearly 1,700 animals? Staff spread them across locations, but space had already run out.

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The shelter faces tough daily choices: Where to put new animals? How to stretch supplies? Meanwhile, about 50 new kittens arrive every single day due to breeding season.

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Despite the crisis, this zero-euthanasia shelter won't put down healthy animals - they're committed to finding homes for every single one that arrives.

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Adoption fees have been cut in half for the next week - around $50 for dogs and cats - as the shelter desperately tries to find homes for their residents.

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Can't adopt? Thompson says donations are crucial to help manage this overwhelming situation. Will you help these animals find their forever homes?

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