Margate Animal Rescue Faces Closure as Post-Holiday Abandonment Crisis Mounts
United For Animals Rescue in Margate struggles to stay open as desperate pet owners dump animals in their backyard, tying dogs to trees.
A Broward County animal rescue is fighting to stay open after a surge of post-holiday pet abandonments pushed the no-kill shelter to its breaking point.
United For Animals Rescue, located at 366-364 S. State Road 7 in Margate, currently houses nearly 200 cats and several dozen dogs. The eight-year-old nonprofit has missed two months of rent payments and faces an uncertain future as abandoned animals continue arriving faster than the shelter can place them.
“People have been dumping dogs out in our backyard,” said Wendy Betulia, a shelter representative. “They are tying them up to trees.”
The desperation extends beyond the physical capacity crisis. Shelter staff say the situation raises existential questions about what happens to the animals they’ve committed to protecting.
“What if we have to shut down?” asked Savannah Taglieri, another shelter representative. “What’s going to happen to all these animals?”
Despite the challenges, United For Animals Rescue rehomed 800 pets in 2025. Some cats at the facility have lived there as long as eight years, a testament to the shelter’s no-kill commitment but also an indication of the difficulty in placing certain animals.
The shelter has faced criticism for its adoption fees, which some potential adopters consider high. However, rescue organizations typically set fees to cover veterinary care, spaying and neutering, and other costs associated with responsible animal placement.
The Humane Society of Broward County has partnered with United For Animals Rescue to help find homes for long-term residents. Such collaborations between rescue organizations have become increasingly important as shelters across South Florida report capacity challenges.
The post-holiday period traditionally brings a surge in pet surrenders and abandonments as families who acquired animals as gifts discover they cannot manage the long-term commitment. Animal welfare advocates have long cautioned against giving pets as presents without careful consideration of the recipient’s ability to provide ongoing care.
For those interested in adopting or supporting United For Animals Rescue, the shelter can be reached through their website at ufarescue.org or on Instagram at @ufarescue.