With kennels jammed and more animals still coming in the door, St. Louis County has kicked off an emergency, fee-waived adoption push at its Olivette shelter this week. The short-term window, which runs through Sunday, is designed to move animals into homes or short-term fosters fast so staff can clear space for new arrivals and cut down the risk of disease spreading inside the building.
The waiver starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, April 5, at the Saint Louis County Pet Adoption Center at 10521 Baur Blvd. in Olivette, where adoption fees will be waived through the weekend, according to First Alert 4. "We have 170 dogs available for adoption or foster, we have 34 cats available for foster or adoption," St. Louis Public Health Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham told the outlet. Organizers say they hope to place roughly 50 dogs during the event. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
Why officials called this an emergency
County leaders say the weekend waiver is only the latest attempt to ease pressure on a shelter that has been operating over capacity for months. In December, the county ran another fee-waived event when the facility was holding about 160 dogs in space built for roughly 80, as reported by St. Louis Public Radio. Hoodline previously highlighted the shelter’s repeated public appeals for fosters during earlier surges, noting that community members taking animals into their homes has been a key way to relieve crowding.
Outbreaks and inspections have added pressure
Crowding has not been the only headache for the county-run shelter. A parvovirus outbreak in April 2025 led staff to euthanize animals, Spectrum News reported, and state inspectors later flagged facility issues during follow-up reviews. Local reporting noted that the center failed several inspections before a subsequent review found it met requirements, underscoring how health concerns and regulatory scrutiny have further tightened capacity.
How residents can help right now
Officials are urging residents to step in by adopting or signing up as short-term fosters so animals can rotate out of crowded kennels. They say even a week or two in a foster home can free up crucial space for incoming pets. Applications and details about adoption and fostering, including vaccination, spay or neuter and microchip policies, are available through the Saint Louis County Government site and at the shelter, where staff say they are focused on getting animals into homes quickly. Community donations to the shelter’s pet-food pantry and volunteer time are other ways locals can support operations while permanent placements and foster matches are arranged.
The fee waiver runs only through Sunday, April 5, and county staff say how quickly the public responds will help determine how long the center can keep its population at a safer level. For more information and to check out adoptable animals before heading over, residents can look at the county’s animal-care pages and the shelter’s updates online.
