KILLEEN, Texas — Killeen Animal Services held an adoption event at PetSmart in Killeen for those looking for a furry friend but they weren't handing dogs out to just anyone.
It's a second chance not many animals get, a second chance at a life with a forever family.
Every person who considered adopting a dog had to understand what it meant to take it home. That means considering the responsibility and whether that dog can interact with those in the home it will be in.
Three out of the four dogs up for adoption had been adopted before, chipped and abandoned, left to be a stray for reasons representatives at the Killeen Animal Shelter will never know.
Elizabeth Self is the program coordinator at the shelter and she said this happens after the holiday season.
"Typically we do see an influx of animals," Self added.
Earlier reports by Six News show this a common trend across Central Texas. People adopt, not understanding the responsibility a pet will be and they'll either surrender it or leave it on the streets.
"Unfortunately, even a few days after Christmas, we start seeing those return start coming through and it's so unfortunate," Brooke Farrell with the Humane Society of Central Texas said.
Another issue is Fort Cavazos soldiers not having the proper knowledge on how a pet can be cared for when moving from base to base. When they get a new assignment and have a pet many end up leaving them behind.
If you can't take care of the animal(s) you have right now, there are resources that help to prevent that animal from being on the streets, like PACT For Animals. It's a national resource that ensures pets are properly cared for in the event of an unexpected life event or deployment.
This issue goes deeper than just the military. The amount of strays in the U.S. continues to rise.
According to Shelter Animals Count, the amount of strays entering shelters in the U.S. since 2020 has risen from 40% to 45%.
Many factors play into why people have to give up animals, including the cost of living.
Inflation continues to rise, and as it does, so does the cost of every basic necessity, including those of the animals brought into homes.
The price of good food has risen close to 50% since 2020, according to Vetrinarians.org.
Adoption events, like the one held in Killeen can make a difference. The shelter will continue to hold events like this with the idea in mind that every animal adopted will go into the hands of a family ready for their forever friend.