Irvine : Donations, Adoptions Save 20 Animals at Center

Donations and a flurry of adoptions have saved 20 animals at the Irvine Animal Care Center that faced death today.

Under a new policy, 19 dogs and one cat were scheduled to be killed by injections, but after publicity of the new policy, 14 dogs and the cat were adopted and residents donated more than $2,500 to keep the five other dogs alive.

According to the policy, which went into effect Jan. 1, animals not adopted within 45 days will be killed. In the past, animal services officials only killed animals when the shelter became overcrowded.

The number of adoptions was not particularly unusual, said Carl Pagano, animal services supervisor. But the animals that were adopted were generally older and larger, and not particularly desirable, he said.

Adopters gave “a lot more consideration” to the animals and did not hold out for the “puppy, per se,” he said.

Also, a citizens’ group, A Committee of Friends of the Irvine Animal Care Center Inc., received enough donations to operate five more kennels at the shelter for dogs whose deadlines have passed, said president Lois Welsh. The group now maintains a total of nine dog kennels and four cat runs.