With the onset of graduation and the end of leases, the city of Ames sees a rise the numbers of abandoned animals. Nearly 1,500 animals go through the shelter over the course of the year, she said.
People leave behind their animals for a number of reasons.
People are transient, some are graduating and others have leases that expire and the cannot find housing where animals are accepted, Lavender said. Because of these factors, the people let the animals loose or leave them behind in their old apartments. The Ames Animal Shelter accepts animals people can no longer keep. The goal of the shelter is to provide care, to keep the animals healthy and to find a replacement home. Another function of the animal shelter is to track the owners of the abandoned animals.