Humane society programs providing hope for local animals
Shelby County Humane Society
381 McDow Road, Columbiana
669-3916
Sarah Leaman already had four dogs.
Her family adopted two through Shelby County Humane Society’s partnership with Petsmart on U.S. 280 when Sarah was 9 years old. The next year, she began volunteering alongside her mom and brother.
Still, the eager eyes of the shelter dogs lingered with her. She wanted to do more.
The opportunity came with Shelby County’s new Adoption Ambassadors Program. Sarah, now 16, signed up last year and quickly fell in love with her foster dog Sam. Soon after, despite having four dogs running rampant at home, the family found room in their hearts to permanently house another.
Sarah said she believes there is something everyone can do to help homeless pets in the 280 area.
“There are so many dogs with all kinds of personalities. Even if you can’t adopt, there are other volunteer opportunities,” she said.
Sarah now works as a volunteer at Petsmart 280, assisting fellow volunteers with Shelby County dogs and cats that are up for adoption. She has embraced her passion for pets with hopes of working with animals in the future.
Her story is one of many recent adoption tales from the 280 area. The shelter’s adoption success over the past year points to good things ahead for Shelby County animals.
“We can’t go backward. We have to figure out how to keep moving forward,” said Sara Shirley, director of the Shelby County Humane Society.
Shirley said the Humane Society’s yearly intake has decreased significantly over the last five years, falling from 5,875 animals in 2008 to 4,107 as of October 2013. Adoption numbers are also up, which Shirley contributes to the shelter’s programs. There were 331 more adoptions in 2013 than the previous year.
The Adoption Ambassador program launched in 2013. The program aims to create more room for others by getting animals out of the shelter and into healthier home environments. Often, ambassadors end up falling in love and adopting their charges. Director Sara Shirley’s dog, Pearl, was a foster failure. When the time came to give Pearl back, Shirley too found she could not say goodbye.
Those interested in volunteering with the Adoption Ambassador program are asked to take part in a simple application process similar to the adoption procedure.
Shelter Partners has also been a huge success. The program transports approximately 1,000 dogs to New Hampshire, Maine and Wisconsin where eager adopting families circle the shelters in the cold to bring their pups home. These areas have a smaller population homeless pets, so residents welcome the opportunity to adopt Shelby County dogs.
“People email us pictures of their new pets all the time. The only downside is vets there joke they don’t want any more dogs named Shelby,” Shirley said.
Dogs are selected to participate in the program based on how long they have been at the Shelby County shelter. Volunteers drive 24 hours nonstop to deliver the pets to their new homes.
On the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, dogs are brought to Petsmart 280 for locals looking to adopt. Volunteers such as Leaman help families select a pet. Feline adoptions take place year round, but 280 residents wanting to welcome a dog into their home are encouraged to take advantage of the convenience of these two weekends.
While the past year has been successful in terms of adoption and intake, Shirley said there is always a need for spay and neuter education. The shelter offers reduced spay and neutering to those who qualify and Shirley said they are willing to work with pet owners on costs.
“There is no reason that anyone in Shelby County should have an unneutered pet. Please contact us,” she said.
Volunteers are needed to help the shelter continue to run smoothly. The shelter is staffed adequately to care for basic needs, but nothing can replace human interaction. Volunteers can walk the dogs and socialize with the cats Monday-Saturday noon-5:30 p.m. Shirley said it’s a great way to get your exercise in and an opportunity to give back to some very grateful animals.
“My bank account is empty, I’m exhausted but my heart is full,” Shirley said.