Las Vegas Animal Rescue Urgently Needs Fosters as Shelter Overflows

The Animal Foundation, Las Vegas Valley’s largest animal shelter, is facing a surge of intakes and urgently asking the community to step in. Since September 7, the shelter has taken in 153 dogs, which is pushing its kennels beyond capacity. And on September 4, nearly 90 cats arrived in a single day, 30 of them surrendered from one home. Find out how you can help, below.

The Animal Foundation is overwhelmed with intakes

The Animal Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the highest-volume single-site animal shelter in the country, already cares for thousands of animals each year. They save more than 21,000 lost, homeless, and mistreated animals yearly. In 2024, that number grew to 24,000-plus animals, an 18 percent increase over the previous year. But this month’s influx has created an immediate crisis.

“If you’ve been waiting for the right time to help, now is the time,” the organization said in a statement on social media. “Fostering or adopting [an animal] today helps us make room in the shelter.”

The shelter has made fostering even more accessible by opening its doors seven days a week, starting at 8 a.m. The message is urgent: Anyone able to foster or adopt, even temporarily, will play a critical role in easing overcrowding and ensuring that more animals in need have a safe place to land.

Courtesy of Animal Foundation/

How to get started fostering

Becoming a foster parent for the Animal Foundation is a straightforward process. Interested people first submit a foster application online. After applying, an automatic email with next steps will be sent. Applicants who can’t find this email are encouraged to check their spam folders or contact foster@animalfoundation.com.

For cats, options include fostering adult cats, kittens, or nursing mothers. As for dogs, there are puppies, adult dogs, and seniors. 

Once approved, fosters can browse pets waiting for homes on the shelter’s website. Most foster placements last between two weeks and two months, but the shelter works with each individual to make sure the placement fits their lifestyle and schedule. No special skills are required — just time, patience, and a safe, stable environment.

The Animal Foundation provides essentials such as food, medications, litter boxes, bowls, and toys. Foster parents must be at least 18 years old and cannot foster for another organization at the same time. (This ensures the pets’ health and safety.) Families with existing pets are welcome to foster, though the shelter requires that fosters have the space to separate resident pets, if needed.

Adoptions also encouraged

Although fostering is the most immediate need, the shelter also encourages adoption. The shelter posts adoptable dogs and cats on its website and on Adopt a Pet. They also invite potential adopters to visit them in person at 655 N Mojave Road.

In addition to sheltering animals, the Animal Foundation operates a community pet pantry, offers free vaccines and microchips, and runs low-cost group training classes, aiming to keep pets in homes and reduce future surrenders.