Lorain County Dog Kennel accepting donations for wish list items

The Lorain County Dog Kennel, 301 Hadaway St. in Elyria, has a wish list of items most desired for donations, and the turnout has been nothing short of helpful, according to kennel officials.

Items on the list include soft treats, slip leads, sturdy toys, Jolly Balls, chewy treats and Purina Dog Chow Complete, which comes in a green bag, according to the kennel.

Tim Pihlblad, Lorain County dog warden, said while the kennel receives monetary and item donations year-round, the listed products are needed most due to the organization’s capacity and its budget.

“That helps our budget immensely,” Pihlblad said. “It enables us to get other things for the dogs that we need and little additions to the building.”

Thanks to the community and volunteers of the dog kennel, who run their own Facebook page, Pihlblad said the reception for items has been positive.

“They put the word out, and before you know it, that’s (dog food donations) what happens,” he said.

Volunteers of the dog kennel not only have gained a massive following on Facebook by promoting animals for adoption, they also walk, feed and take care of the dogs on their own time while making sure the quality of life is suitable for the animals, according to Pihlblad.

“They come in and walk the dogs, take care of the dogs when they can,” he said. “We can always use more volunteers; they promote the dogs.”

Local pet stores also have done their part by collecting items in-store and donating store supplies, such as leashes and collars, Pihlblad said.

“They help a lot with donations,” he said. “They’ll bring in any stuff that they can’t sell at their store, and they’ll donate it to us.”

The kennel also accepts monetary donations to help with operations, Pihlblad said.

One key thing that not only helps the kennel’s budget, but also dog owners, is dog licenses.

“I can’t say enough about the licensing,” Pihlblad said. “License is the way to go.”

Upon registering a dog in Lorain County, Pihlblad said he calls licensing “cheap insurance,” because should a dog ever go missing, the return process can be quicker by being able to look up owner information.

“They get their dog home quicker,” he said. “The dog doesn’t have to come in here.”

Registering a dog is a more secure way of having the pets in a legal database, as opposed to microchips, which Pihlblad said is a good secondary option.

The kennel has seen more dogs with longer stay periods in the post-pandemic period than before, he said.

On average, from the time a dog is brought in until it leaves is about six weeks, compared to the three-week average period before the pandemic, Pihlblad said.

“I don’t like to keep them past three weeks; it’s sad,” he said. “We’d like to cut that down a little bit.”

When it’s difficult for a dog to be adopted, he said local dog rescues often adopt to save space at the kennel.

Most dogs in the kennel are strays, Pihlblad said.

The kennel has not had to euthanize any animals for space in over nine years, despite the constant full-capacity of stray dogs, he said.

“We want to keep that going,” Pihlblad said. “We’re pretty proud of that, and that has a lot to do with our volunteers.”