Delaware County has no countywide animal shelter, so there’s no place for strays found out on the street, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.

Not that people aren’t trying.

Jill Speckman is founder and president of Delco Dawgs, a small nonprofit animal rescue that takes in and cares for injured, sick, lost, or abandoned animals.

“We try to take the ones that we know we’re gonna have a little bit longer and a harder time adopting out,” Speckman said.

But by law, the group cannot pick up stray dogs or cats off the street.

The Providence Animal Center in Media is a “no-kill” shelter. It can accept animals from overcrowded shelters but it also can’t take in strays.

“Delaware County is very unique in that there is not a county shelter that is run by county officials,” said Justina Calgiano at Providence Animal Center.

Facebook has helped as a virtual shelter to connect lost animals with owners.

Also, the Brandywine Valley SPCA in Chester County provides shelter for strays but it is only contracted for services with 14 of Delaware County’s 49 municipalities.

These smaller efforts can’t meet a large number of strays out there.

Read more at WHYY about the problem with strays in Delaware County.  

This 2017 CBS Philly report talks about Delco Dawgs possibly shutting down when it could no longer accept strays.