Fewer Animal Control officers, declining public finances and abandoned homes have led to an increase in stray dogs in Detroit, most of whom are euthanized. “This is a humanitarian crisis” says the Humane Society of the United States.
An estimated 50,000 stray dogs roam free in Detroit, and the city is struggling to care for them properly.
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Poverty in the Motor City means that many residents have escaped Detroit and left their dogs behind; others are financially unable to look after their pets, or are unaware of how to find proper care.
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Stray dogs have overcrowded Detroit's animal shelters, and 70% of the dogs are euthanized in facilities that can't afford to care for them.
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The dogs have begun to replace residents: Detroit is now a city of 700,000, down from its peak of 1.8 million inhabitants.
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