MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control will no longer accept immediate owner surrenders beginning Wednesday. Pet owners will not be able to place their pets on a surrender waitlist, as well.
The change applies to both cats and dogs in Mecklenburg County.
“This is a good example of how full we are. We’ve hit kitten season for sure,” said Melissa Knicely, with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control.
The shelter saw 58% increase in pet surrenders in the last six months, compared to the same time last year.
The animals that are brought in are staying for weeks, instead of days.
“Every day you hear we’re at capacity,” Knicely said. “We’re at capacity, and so this is one of the steps that we had to take.”
Angela Felton, with the nonprofit North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue, said there has been a spike in surrenders since the beginning of the year. That’s why the shelter announced it will stop accepting dogs and cats surrendered by their owners.
She said most of those surrenders come from owners who don’t have any other option.
“With the housing crisis, it’s just not affordable for a lot of people,” Felton said. “People are having to move, having to stay with friends and family, having to downsize. People are reaching out when they’re becoming homeless.”
More than half of the dogs and cats brought into the county shelter since January are strays.
Animal Care and Control will continue to take in stray and homeless pets as required by state law.
Pet owners who want to surrender a pet at Animal Care and Control will receive resources and support options to help keep pets in their homes or assist with rehoming.
“Anything that is healthy and anything that you can place that is yours, we’re going to ask that you find other resources to do that,” Knicely said.
Leaders said the cat surrender policy will be evaluated every six months based on community needs and shelter capacity.
Animal Care and Control is also asking for help to move dogs out of its shelter.
The building on Toomey Avenue will close for five weeks of renovations starting on Sunday.
There will only be space in 33 dog kennels during that time.
Animal Care and Control is looking for adopters, fosters, and stay-cation hosts to pick up dogs through Thursday.
Length of stay stats:
- Dogs LOS: 6.94 (first half of 2025) → 28.68 days (first half of 2026)
- Cats LOS: 11.33 (first half of 2025) → 24.03 days (first half of 2026)
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