DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Volusia County’s largest animal shelter is at emergency capacity and is calling on the community for help.

The Halifax Humane Society in Daytona Beach has waived adoption fees for all adult dogs, and is paying residents $50 a week to foster adult dogs.

Right now, the Halifax Humane Society has a large influx of adult dogs, and as of Wednesday, there were 581 animals being housed at the shelter. 

“We're at the organization's capacity level for our ability to comfortably house more adult dogs,” CEO Sean Hawkins said.

To help with the influx, the Humane Society has enacted a life-saving plan, which includes making all adult dog adoptions free. The shelter is also paying residents $50 a week to foster and care for an adult dog. Training, medical care and supplies are all included.

Foster families can also receive a $250 bonus if they help find the dog a permanent home. Hawkins said that dogs who are fostered have a much higher chance of being adopted. 

“Animals who are fostered and have some skills in a home environment, those animals are exponentially adopted more quickly than dogs who we have no history on,” he said.

Crew, a 5-year-old American pit bull-terrier mix, is one of the hundreds of adoptable adult dogs at the Humane Society. Right now, he’s being fostered by Ponce Inlet residents Billy Thomas and Becky Clark, who have been fostering dogs for the past three years.

Crew is the 14th dog they’ve fostered. He was brought to the shelter as a stray more than 330 days ago. Thomas said fostering gives dogs like Crew a break from the shelter. 

“We'll take them out to the beach and just, you know, kind of showcase what they're capable of,” Thomas said. “Just the fun things about them and every dog we've had so far has been adopted.”

Thomas said that fostering brings attention to overlooked dogs and helps them find a home. 

“Just taking them out for a few days, taking some photos, and then the shelter will post something about it and then it just puts some interest on the dog,” he said. “Then all of a sudden there's people that want that dog.”

People who foster a dog at the Humane Society submit a behavior profile of the dog, which can highlight their traits and help them get adopted. For example, Thomas said Crew loves to swim, gets along well with other dogs and is crate- and potty-trained.

“He obeys commands really well,” Thomas said. “He's really motivated to learn stuff. If you've got a treat in your hand, he'll do anything for it. So, I mean, he's a really good candidate for adoption.”

To learn more about Crew, contact the Humane Society’s foster team at fostertransfer@halifaxhumanesociety.org to schedule a meet-and-greet.

Hawkins said the foster home program is important because it’s meant for dogs who have been at the shelter for more than 100 days. 

“These animals go into a private home, they get a break from the shelter life,” Hawkins said. “They're allowed to exhale, decompress.”

Hawkins said that all dogs who are adopted go home with supplies and medical care.

“Every dog who goes home is spayed or neutered, completely vaccinated, and microchipped,” he said. “They go home with a one-month supply of dog food and a six-month supply of flea and heartworm prevention. So, the animals are going home with almost $1,000 worth of products and services just to help them get into the home.”

The last part of the shelter's lifesaving plan is helping the community keep their animals, Hawkins said.

“When somebody comes to our shelter right now and says, ‘I need to give up my dog,’ we say, ‘Why? How can we help you?’” he said. “Sometimes it's as simple as a family moving into a new apartment and they can't afford a pet deposit. We will pay the pet deposit. Sometimes the dog is maybe a little barky, bitey, jumpy at home or they're concerned that their toddler is going to get knocked down. What if we send you home with a four week subscription to a dog trainer program?”

Hawkins also said that if people are in between paychecks or having trouble feeding their dogs, the Humane Society can give them food out of their pet pantry. 

To learn more about the Halifax Humane Society, visit the shelter's website. The site also has a section where adoptable dogs can be viewed and provides information about fostering.

Reagan Ryan is a 2023 — 2025 Report for America Corps Member, covering the environment and climate across Central Florida for Spectrum News 13. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.