The large stray dog population in the 9th Ward and other areas of New Orleans is a direct result of overpopulation. While the manifestation of this problem is extreme in these parts of New Orleans, overpopulation is rampant across the country. Even if you do not see dogs roaming your streets, you probably have a city or county animal shelter that is bursting at the seams with discarded animals.  Because these public shelters must by law take every animal they find or that is surrendered to them, they often simply run out of physical space. When this happens, they are forced to kill, or euthanize, the animals they do not have room for, animals who are often perfectly healthy and friendly. 

These overwhelming amounts of unwanted animals have given way to the development of private no-kill rescue groups. While these groups contribute significantly to the solution, all of them are running on shoe-string budgets and are not able to take in all the surplus that exists.

If you are a dog guardian, thinking about becoming one, or just want to help the problem without having your own dog, here are some essential steps you can take to reduce overpopulation and unnecessary suffering and loss of life:

• Spay or neuter your dog (or cat). Dogs typically have about 20 puppies per year and start being able to give birth around 6 months of age. These numbers become exponential very quickly. There are often free or low-cost options through public shelters or private rescues.

• Adopt from your local city/county shelter or a private rescue group. Buying dogs from breeders perpetuates the overpopulation problem and does not help alleviate the shelter population.

• Foster a dog at your local animal shelter or private rescue organization. Having a temporary home not only offers the dog a better quality of life, but also makes him or her more adoptable as they will be 1) free of the stress shelter situations cause and 2) more used to the rules of living in a home.

• Donate money, items or time to your local public shelter or private rescue group.  Most organizations have a wish list page so you can easily find what they need.

Below we have begun a list of links to reputable shelters and rescues, as well as some more educational sites. Please take the time to explore their sites and see how you can help them.

We view this as a living list and are looking to expand it to many regions around the country. If you would like to suggest a resource in your community to share with others on this site, please use our contact page to get in touch with us.