At-capacity Winnipeg Humane Society halts all animal intakes
Posted August 19, 2026 4:33 pm.
Last Updated August 19, 2026 7:41 pm.
The Winnipeg Humane Society is implementing a temporary freeze on animal intake as the shelter is at capacity.
The organization says more and more people are making the choice to give up their pets as the cost of caring for them and veterinary bills are on the rise.
The humane society says about 324 animals have come in so far this August.
Carly Peters, the society’s director of communications, says WHS can only take in animals in critical medical need, and the freeze will remain in place until the organization can catch up.
Peters says the organization will still try to see what help they can provide for pet owners facing surrenders.
“We try and work with people to see the reason for the surrender,” she said. “Is it a food scarcity issue? is it a behaviour issue? Do you just need temporary boarding? We do have those community support services and we try and work with people to keep people and pets together and keep animals out of the shelter.”
READ: More Manitobans surrendering their pets due to cost of living
This comes at the same time when many other shelters throughout the city are at or nearing capacity, putting more strain on those battling to avoid an intake freeze, including Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter.
“It always puts more stress on any of the shelters that don’t have intake freezes on,” said the group’s assistant director Christa Richard. “We don’t typically ever put intake freezes on. We have a waiting list. So when somebody calls, we will explain to them that we’re unable to help them at the moment, we will put them on our list and try to help them as soon as we can.”
Both the Winnipeg Humane Society and Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter say animal shelters across the city are facing a severe lack of foster homes, and they are asking Manitobans interested in helping to contact their local shelter.
