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Local News

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Humane Society's adopt-a-thon comes at crucial time for agency
By LINSEY MAUGHAN

STAFF WRITER

Found tied to a tree outside the Humane Society of Hancock County two weeks ago was a four-month-old female beagle puppy.

It is unknown who left her or why.

Humane Society Director Paula Krugh said the dog, whose shelter name is Pinky because of the pink collar and leash she was left with, is one of about 150 highly adoptable pets available this week during the society's biannual adopt-a-thon.

Pinky becomes available for viewing and adoption on Friday.

Pets available include cats, dogs, and one ferret. Adoption fees are reduced by $50 this week, with dogs costing $75 and cats $25. Costs include spay or neuter for the animal, as well as a rabies vaccination and microchip, which could help match a lost animal with its owner.

In addition, pets over age 5 are free today for senior citizens.

"We're trying to find (them) forever homes," Krugh said. "They need a good home that really cares about them."

The adopt-a-thon comes at a crucial time for the Humane Society, which is not taking animal surrenders because it is at maximum occupancy with nearly 200 animals. At least 10 more pets are on a waiting list to be surrendered by their owners.

According to Krugh, the recession has increased the number of homeless pets in the area.

"The economy has played a part in that," she said, "and the economy has played a part in our lack of funds."

In October 2008, the shelter housed 137 animals. But for the past six months, occupancy has been at nearly 200 animals. Though the shelter has room for 212 animals, some cages must remain empty to allow space for dogs brought in by the county dog warden, a service provided by the Humane Society through a contract with the Hancock County commissioners.

Krugh teared up as she discussed the homeless pet situation.

"These animals didn't ask to be here and they deserve a good forever home," she said.

While more animals are in need of help, the Humane Society of Hancock County is at the same time seeing a decrease in funding, including a significant decline in donations.

"Even with less money, we're ending up with more animals," Krugh said. "I wish we could take them all, but we can't. We don't have space."

Dana Berger, Hancock County's dog warden, brings in at least 35 lost or homeless dogs per month to an intake center reserved for them at the Humane Society.

"There are people, with the economic situation, who just open the door," Krugh said. "Just to let (a pet) out and let it fend for itself is the most awful thing."

The Humane Society has also noticed more cases of people leaving their pets behind in empty apartments after moving out, as well as setting them loose.

"People abandoning dogs out in the country is definitely worse because of the economy," Berger said. "We run into all kinds of stuff."

Though the number of animals has increased, the Humane Society's euthanization standards remain the same. The only animals put down are those deemed either too ill to be saved or vicious.

Three Humane Society employees, including a veterinarian, must agree that it is the right decision before an animal is euthanized.

The Humane Society is now referring people who need to surrender animals to other rescue groups, including Teddy's Rescue in Findlay. Teddy's will have its grand opening in a few weeks, but it has been operating on an emergency basis since August 2008.

As of Tuesday, Teddy's was housing 30 animals. Susan Hollington, vice chair of the board for Teddy's Rescue, said the economic impact on homeless pets is a significant problem. She said at least 25 percent of the animals Teddy's takes in are being turned over due to foreclosures.

"We've been facing this almost weekly," she said. "The biggest problem is most of the time the people are very vested in these pets. They are surprised to find themselves in the circumstance of losing their home. But they're losing a part of their family, too, because these animals are a part of their family."

Both locally and nationally, economic hardship has resulted in more animals either being abandoned by their owners or turned over to humane societies.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimated in February that between 500,000 and 1 million cats and dogs were at risk of becoming homeless as a result of the economic crisis.

Stephen Zawistowski, executive vice president of the Society, was quoted on the group's Web site as saying, "According to national financial estimates, approximately one in 171 homes in the United States is in danger of foreclosure due to the subprime mortgage crisis. And considering that approximately 63 percent of U.S. households have at least one pet, hundreds of thousands of pets are in danger of being abandoned or relinquished to animal shelters across the country."

PetFinder.com, a Web site that allows animal shelters nationwide to post listings for the animals they have available for adoption, conducted a survey this year on the economy's impact on the homeless pet population. In March, the Web site said 84 percent of their 13,000 shelters were receiving more pets due to "the overall economic downturn, foreclosures and/or job losses."

Additionally, 74 percent of shelters had "seen an increase in pets being given away or abandoned since this time last year due to these economic trials," the site said.

Like Hancock County's shelters, the Wyandot County Humane Society is experiencing the national trend firsthand.

"Certainly the reasons animals are coming in are very commonly (that their owners) can't afford them or they're getting evicted," shelter Manager Ann Pfeiffer said. "Those are probably two of the most common reasons that animals are coming in right now. Or they don't have time to take care of them, they're maybe working two or three jobs at a time to make ends meet."

"We have people who have surrendered animals who are living in their car, and the last thing they do is surrender their animals. A lot of these people are losing everything."

Pfeiffer said the Wyandot County Humane Society never turns an animal away, and will keep an animal as long as possible provided it is healthy and well-adjusted.

The shelter, which mostly takes in dogs and cats but also accepts wildlife and farm animals, has space for 250 animals, and is now housing somewhere between 100 and 150.

As of Oct. 31, it had taken in 8,435 animals for 2009, with 2,483 coming from Wyandot County and 278 coming from Hancock County. The shelter took in 9,500 animals in 2008, and expects to exceed 10,000 by the end of this year.

The Web site of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals quoted Ed Sayres, its president and CEO, as saying that due to the growing number of homeless animals and the decreasing amount of donations, which shelters rely on to care for animals, animal shelters need more help than ever.

"There has never been a better time to support your local animal shelter if you are in a position to do so," he said.

Maughan: 419-427-8417,




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1 Comment

rob wrote:
animal shelter sale
“ I live in columbus,oh and the goverment run animal shelter has adoption price cuts like this on a regular basis. they also have a thing called mingle with the mutts twice a month. they invite pivate adoption groups to the shelter with the dogs and the public can come and see what all the rescue groups have for dogs. We adopted a cocker spaniel from the columbus cocker rescue recently. I believe if the shelter had a open house once or twice a month and invited local rescue groups and put the rescue groups websites on their site they could aaleviate the overcrowding and adopt out more dogs.
we have 3 dogs that are rescued dogs. ”
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 4:25:05 PM
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Benton Ridge Shooting

This video, released by the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, shows the shooting of a Lima man who led authorities on a three-county chase ending Aug.24 in Benton Ridge. Be cautioned, the video contains graphic content.
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