The Rio Grande Valley Humane Society's Harlingen location is over capacity.

RGVHS Executive Director Luis Quintanilla said the facility has 35 kennels for dogs, but in the last six days about 65 dogs have been dropped. 

The shelter is now at risk of losing its no-kill status.

"The last thing we want to do is to lose lives unnecessarily. We don't want any animals coming in here who are absolutely not an emergency," Quintanilla said.

RGVHS has asked the city of Harlingen to temporarily suspend non-emergency drop-offs.

As they wait for the city to respond, they are asking the community to call them before bringing an animal to their doorstep.

Not only will it help the humane society team at this critical time, but it's best for the animals.

"If you think that surrendering an animal to the shelter is their best option, it is absolutely not. We want to dispel that myth, this is not an animal's best chance, it is their last chance," Quintanilla said.

The shelter says their doors are open for adoptions and fostering seven days a week.

Quintanilla says that even if it's just a temporary foster home, it's helping them keep that no-kill shelter status.

"When you take an animal home, whether it's permanently for adoption or temporarily through foster, you're not only saving that animal's life, but you're also saving the animal's life who is guaranteed to come in through the door from animal control," Quintanilla said.

He said if anyone needs to absolutely drop off an animal, to call the shelter first.

Contact information for the shelter's Mission and Harlingen locations are listed below.

Harlingen location

Address: 1106 Markowsky Avenue

Phone: (956) 428-1022

Mission location

Address: 227 Abelino Farias Street

Phone: (956) 591-0058