Influx of surrendered pets straining Alaska's shelters

Historic Lower Yukon wildfire forces evacuations from St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( [Anchorage Daily News]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Alaska Navigator]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Friday, June 10. In today's newsletter: - A combination of complicated factors — including cost — is driving more Alaskans to surrender their animals to shelters, which are struggling to keep up with the influx of animals. - A historically large wildfire for the Lower Yukon River has prompted evacuations to begin for two Western Alaska villages in its path. - In a lawsuit against an Eagle River lawmaker, a judge is considering when and if it is legal for a legislator to ban a constituent from their official Facebook page. In Alaska's first statewide all-mail election, you have until Saturday to cast your vote in the special primary for Alaska's U.S. House seat. Mailed ballots need to be postmarked by tomorrow, or you can vote in person or drop your ballot at a state election office. Catch up on the how-tos of casting your vote [here](. Still not sure who to pick from among the 48 candidates running to fill the remainder of Rep. Don Young's term? Learn more about them [here.]( 🌤️ Anchorage weather Today is partly cloudy with a high of 66 degrees. There's a small chance of isolated showers, which continues into the weekend. Sunday will be partly sunny before the chance of rain returns next week. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [As people surrender pets they can’t always afford, Alaska’s shelters struggle to house them]( [As people surrender pets they can’t always afford, Alaska’s shelters struggle to house them]( Shelters around Alaska say they’re seeing an influx of pets due to a complicated web of cost, pandemic isolation and limited veterinarians. A rise in surrendered animals recently pushed the Matanuska-Susitna Borough shelter beyond its capacity. [Read More]( [Historic Lower Yukon wildfire forces evacuations from St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point ]( [Historic Lower Yukon wildfire forces evacuations from St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point]( Wind continues to push an approximately 50,000-acre tundra fire — the largest in recorded history for the Lower Yukon River — toward two Western Alaska villages. St Mary’s and nearby Pitkas Point have begun evacuating elders and the most vulnerable residents. (From KYUK) [Read More]( [Eagle River lawmaker Reinbold faces civil trial after blocking a constituent on Facebook]( [Eagle River lawmaker Reinbold faces civil trial after blocking a constituent on Facebook]( A judge heard oral arguments this week in a lawsuit brought by an Eagle River woman against state Sen. Lora Reinbold over the legality of banning a constituent from a lawmaker’s official Facebook page. The verdict could determine how Alaska state legislators conduct themselves on the internet in the future. (From Alaska Beacon) [Read More]( [Alaska fines Bristol Bay salmon processor nearly $470,000 for environmental permitting violations ]( [Alaska fines Bristol Bay salmon processor nearly $470,000 for environmental permitting violations]( Violations by Bristol Bay processing plant Silver Bay Seafoods date back to 2017, according to the state, and include discharging millions of pounds more fish waste into the Naknek River than they were allowed to dump. [Read More]( [As Katmai’s salmon-feasting bears draw more tourists, park officials try to reduce potential conflicts]( [As Katmai’s salmon-feasting bears draw more tourists, park officials try to reduce potential conflicts]( As visitors steadily increase at Katmai National Park and Preserve, famed for its salmon-feasting brown bears, officials are rolling out a permitting program for access to an off-trail area frequented by anglers, bear-viewing groups and photographers. 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