Shelters in Need

This news story makes me sad. This is the shelter where my girl rescued me. It's a very busy place full of very caring staff and volunteers. I'm very lucky that my people have secure jobs and can provide for me. It's so hard on a dog to spend it's life with one family and then all of a sudden end up in a cage surrounded by lots of other sad, barking dogs. It's overwhelming. This shelter has always prided itself for having a no kill policy. I hope they don't have to change that.




Ham. Co. shelter says it's overwhelmed

Shelter may have to change no-kill policy

Updated: Friday, 15 May 2009, 10:57 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 15 May 2009, 9:52 PM EDT

Jennifer McGilvray

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - The Hamilton County Humane Society is making a cry for help. The shelter is full, but more animals are being surrendered.

Daisy and Donald, two springer spaniel mixed breeds, have been the shelter's longest residents at 15 months. But now the two, who are brother and sister, are finally going home.

"We live close to the Monon, so we plan on walking them two or three times a day…a house that's theirs…two queen-size beds to sit on, a couch to lay on," Daisy and Donald's new adopted owner Angie Simmons said.

The dogs' old cage won't be empty for long, the vacancy will be filled all to soon.

"We are an open-admission shelter. We don't turn anyone away and when we are full, and the next animal comes in, we have to find a place for them," said Executive Director Rebecca Stevens.

There are 250 cats and 95 dogs in the building, even more in foster care. The shelter said people are surrendering their pets faster than they can adopt them.

Stevens said the economy is to blame for the uptick.

"We don't have another cage or another kennel to put another animal in," said Stevens.

Many are older dogs are like eight-year-old Dexter, who isn't used to shelter life.

Not only is the shelter seeing an increase owner surrenders and strays but also abandoned animals left behind.

The shelter has a no-kill philosophy but Stevens said euthanization could become a last resort if the community doesn't start adopting pets or fostering them.

"I don't want to have to get to that juncture, so this is our cry for help. Help us make that not even a possibility," said Stevens.

The shelter is running an adoption special for any black or white dog or cat in honor of the Indianapolis 500.