Bakersfield Animal Care Center notices uptick in Kern County dog crisis

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Bakersfield Animal Care Center has taken in 1,000 more dogs than it did in 2022.

At the beginning of the year, the Bakersfield Animal Care Center set a goal to save 5,000 dogs, and as of Dec. 30, they almost met that mark. The stray dog epidemic in Kern County has grown this year, according to staff at the clinic.

“There’s just too many. Too many puppies being born. Too many dogs, and we can’t place them all,” said Cathy Perez.

Ringing in the New Year is a time to celebrate moving forward for most, but for some of the dogs at the Animal Care Center in Bakersfield, it’s a death sentence.

“We have already taken in this year 1,017 more dogs than we did last year,” said Joshua Proctor, with Bakersfield Animal Care Center.

Proctor says he sees an average of 30 to 50 dogs a day. The goal is to save the lives of 5,000 dogs in line to be euthanized in 2023. This year there are more than 7,200 dogs.

“That means 40% of our dogs are not making it out of here alive,” says Proctor.

The Bakersfield Animal Care Center is waiving all adoption fees through the New Year. The animals are spayed or neutered, and vaccinated saving you up to $1,000 dollars.