(Photo Illustration/MetroCreative)
MARIETTA — The Humane Society of the Ohio Valley on Friday asked the community for dog adopters to help it keep a commitment to being a no-kill animal shelter.
The shelter has reached double-intended capacity, Executive Director Amy Rogers said.
With an influx of young, healthy, former pets in need of homes, the shelter is waiving the $150 adoption fee and asking for a $6 donation to adopt a spayed or neutered dog, she said.
“We are in urgent need of adopters to help us create space and provide loving homes for our animals,” Rogers said. “By waiving adoption fees, we hope to encourage more people to consider adopting and give these pets a second chance at happiness in a home. While we always need cat adoptions too, and we have some great cats, dogs are at a crisis level right now.”
Ninety-one dogs and 83 cats are at the shelter. Additionally, another 62 dogs and 68 cats are in foster care.
“We have a wonderful variety of dogs and cats who are eagerly waiting to become part of a loving family,” Amber Dennison, a member of the Humane Society’s Board of Directors, said.
Adopting a pet not only brings joy and companionship but also saves a life, she said.
“As a community, we are in crisis. We committed to becoming a ‘no kill’ shelter in 2013. To continue that commitment, we need people in Washington and surrounding counties to adopt a dog,” Dennison said. “We encourage everyone looking for a new furry friend to consider adoption and make a difference in an animal’s life. We get adoption updates frequently telling us how great the dogs adopted from the shelter are and how people don’t know how they made it before their dog (or cat) came into their life. We have a shelter (over) full of amazing dogs.”
All adopted pets are fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped before they go home. The regular adoption fees are $150 for dogs and $40 for cats.
Animals brought in for stray hold, protective custody, bite quarantine or court case holds must legally be held at the shelter for specific lengths of time. If the Humane Society runs out of space and there is a legally required intake of an animal, once all available options are exhausted, animals are shuffled around into floor crates to create the necessary space for new ones.
“It is not ideal, but the alternative is killing some of them to make room for more. We desperately need adopters to make our numbers more manageable and continue our ‘no kill’ commitment,” Dennison said. “We have 15 dogs in floor crates, dogs in every bathroom, closet and office. These are the life-saving measures we are taking- but we need help from the community.”
The shelter is open for adoptions from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-3 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Monday.
The Humane Society of the Ohio Valley is located at 90 Mount Tom Road in Marietta off County House Lane. More information about the animals, the shelter and the adoption process is available at www.hsov.org. Fosters, donations and volunteers, especially dog walkers, also are needed.
