Rez Dogs Struggle to Survive Amid Escalating Climate Crisis

Julie Cassadore was devastated when a wildfire tore through the San Carlos Apache Reservation this July. “The whole downtown was on fire,” she recounted. “Huge clouds of black smoke filled the sky, and you could hear what sounded like propane tanks exploding. People were running with their children.”

That’s when the phone calls flooded in.

Cassadore, founder of the Geronimo Animal Rescue Team, knew she had to act. As the arson-triggered Watch Fire devoured 2,000 acres and destroyed 20 homes, her organization scrambled to rescue animals amidst the chaos. Her team worked tirelessly through the night, saving pets with burnt paws and fur.

“We were driving around with burnt dogs all night,” she said.

Finding homes for the 20 animals they rescued has been challenging, given that San Carlos lacks its own animal shelter. This underscores a growing crisis as climate change exacerbates wildfires and other natural disasters.

As global temperatures rise, the impacts on Indigenous communities and their animals become more severe. Higher euthanasia rates and increased risks to stray animals are becoming more common. Limited infrastructure and a nationwide shortage of veterinarians compound these issues, putting many ‘rez dogs’ in jeopardy.

The problem is rooted in pandemic-related disruptions. Animal spay and neuter clinics shut down during COVID-19 lockdowns, resulting in longer and more frequent “puppy seasons.” Jennifer Fitzer, from Leech Lake Legacy, notes this change: “Puppy season has been going on for over two years now, and I’ve never seen it like this in my 15 years of work.”

Fitzer has struggled to find homes for animals. “Pre-pandemic, I had 20 placement slots every weekend. Now, I struggle to place even one dog,” she lamented. The soaring temperatures only worsen the situation, leading to more cases of dehydration among animals.

On the Navajo Nation, Norman Begay, the animal control program manager, deals with around 20 dog-related calls daily. With an estimated 180,000 stray dogs and only 12 officers, his team is stretched thin. “It’s a liability,” he stated, noting that some dogs are dangerous. A devastating incident in 2021 saw a 13-year-old girl killed by a pack of dogs.

Temperatures also pose a risk. At the Farmington Animal Shelter, 15 percent of the animals come from Navajo Nation, where summer is their busiest season. “If it’s too hot, dog walkers can’t take them out in the middle of the day,” said shelter manager Stacie Voss.

No concrete statistics exist on the number of stray animals in Indigenous communities, but the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimated that 6.5 million dogs and cats entered U.S. shelters in 2023, with only 4.8 million being adopted.

Shelters are overcrowded, and relocating dogs to off-reservation shelters is becoming tougher, according to Partners with Native Americans. Both euthanasia rates and the need for creative solutions are rising.

Indigenous tribes are taking innovative steps to address animal overpopulation. The Northern Arapaho Tribe converted a mobile COVID testing vehicle into a spay and neuter clinic. Partners with Native Americans pledged $100,000 annually to support various tribes, providing clinics, foster homes, and educational programs. The Humane Society of Western Montana has collaborated with several tribes to offer clinics, vaccines, and adoption services.

Cassadore’s journey started from facing discrimination. A nearby shelter once refused to take animals from San Carlos. “They weren’t helping because we are Apaches,” she said.

That incident led to the creation of the Geronimo Animal Rescue Team. This year, Cassadore won the More Than A Pet Community Hero Award from the Humane Society. The San Carlos Tribal Council now supports her efforts to build an animal shelter on the reservation.

“We hope people can come and adopt our dogs, instead of us taking them off the reservation,” Cassadore shared. “We’re optimistic for that future.”