Lyon County Animal Services issued a dire request for help from the community as, for the first time in 12 years, they are reaching a point of potentially having to begin euthanizing animals due to space issues rather than medical or behavioral concerns.

They posted the following message on social media Sunday night:

URGENT!!

With our 36 kennels and 8 quarantine kennels (44 kennels total) shelter, we are critically over capacity, as we are now housing 69 dogs with over 60 more waiting to come in! We have a significant increase of dogs coming in with a significant decrease of strays being claimed/dogs being left at the shelter and a significant decrease in adoptions. We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken because, for the first time in over 12 years, we may have to start euthanizing for space and no longer be a no kill (90% or higher save rate) shelter.

Here is where you can help!

If you have been thinking about getting a dog or adding a buddy to your pack, check out our available dogs here:

https://www.adoptapet.com/shelter/89022-lyon-county-animal-services-silver-springs-nevada

We have a wide variety of dogs available from German Shepherds, Dobermans, Huskies to good ol’ fashioned, loyal mutts! Please contact the shelter at 775-577-5005 for more information on adaptable pets.

Not sure if you want to add a forever companion but have a little extra room for a temporary stay? No problem! The shelter may not have a foster program but we have 2 of our rescue partners who have offered a foster program for our dogs. You can reach out to Res-Que and WARF — Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation — Northern Nevada to get more information on how to become a foster for Lyon County dogs.

If you aren’t able to adopt or foster, you can still help by volunteering. Come in and help us keep all these dogs exercised or help keep their kennels clean. For Volunteer opportunities, please call 775-577-5005.

Unable to come in and help? You can still share our post, encourage people to come in if you know they are in the market for a new pup and spread the word!

If you have a dog or dogs now, please get some sort of ID tag or chip so that if someone finds your dog(s), they can contact you. We sell ID tags for $7 and microchips for $15. Or you can get a collar and with a permanent marker, write your phone number on the collar or on a piece of duct tape, wrapped around the collar.

Every little bit helps and we need the community’s help more then ever!

Kelsey is a fourth-generation Nevadan, investigative journalist and college professor working in the Sierras. She is an advocate of high desert agriculture, rescue dogs, and analog education.