Spring seems to have finally arrived, many people may decide it’s time to add a furry friend to their family. And there’s no better place to begin your search for a dog, cat or occasionally something more exotic like a ferret or a bird, than your local animal shelter.
Locally, animal shelters have lots of adoptable pets on hand ready to find their forever homes. And with warmer weather, the puppy and kitten population is likely to increase.
Richard Newberry, Mason County Deputy judge-executive, said the animal population at the Mason County Shelter is constantly changing as animals come in and others find a home. On Thursday, a litter of Labradoodle puppies was expected to draw lots of attention for potential adopters.
In the past as many as 100 animals a month may have been euthanized at the shelter but things have changed for the better in recent years, Newberry said, and humanely putting animals down is becoming rarer. Over the past year, not a single cat has been euthanized and the number of dogs put to sleep is about three who were aggressive and unadoptable, he said.
A pull fee of $20 allows the shelter the funds to vaccinate each dog against parvo and to provide a wormer, Newberry said. Future plans are to add a similar fee for cats so funds will be available to treat them prior to adoption.
While spring may bring an increase in kittens, Newberry said a trap/neuter/release program funded by a donor helped cut down on the number of feral cats. He is hoping other donors step forward so the program can be restarted. The county works with the Humane Society of Buffalo Trace to spay or neuter dogs adopted out to Mason County residents.
Adoptable animals are featured the Mason County Animal Shelter’s Facebook page which has nearly 6,000 likes, Newberry said.
Listed below is contact information for each shelter in our area. Please call ahead to confirm before traveling to the shelter. And remember adopt, don’t shop.
Mason County Animal Shelter is located at 301 River Drive in Maysville. It is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday. Closed Sunday. Call 606-564-6067. There is a $20 adoption fee.
The Humane Society of Buffalo Trace operates a spay/neuter assistance program. Details are available at the animal shelter. Tax-deductible donations can be sent to P.O. Box 758, Maysville, Ky 41056.
The Humane Society of Buffalo Trace’s annual Spay-ghetti Dinner is April 27, 5-7 p.m., at Washington United Methodist Church, 1917 U.S. 62, Maysville. Tickets are $7 and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program S.N.A.P.
Bracken County Animal Shelter is located on Hamilton Road near Brooksville. Open 11 a.m.-noon, Monday through Friday, closed weekends and holidays. Call 606-735-3475. Purchase of a dog tag for $5 and a donation of a 40-pound bag of dog food donation required for adoption. Spay/neuter required within 40 days of adoption for all dogs.
Lewis County Animal Shelter is located at 149 County Drive, Vanceburg. Call 606-796-3917. No further information was available.
Brown County Animal Shelter is located at 100 Veterans Blvd., Georgetown, Ohio. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, closed Sunday. Adoption $75 for dogs over 4 months/ $85 for 4 months and under. Fee includes spay/neuter, license, 5in1 vaccine, one de-worming, and Bordetella vaccine.
The Humane Society of Adams County operates out of West Union, Ohio, Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., closed Wednesday and Sunday. Call 937-544-8585. Donations are tax-deductible and can be sent to P.O. Box 245, West Union, Ohio 45693.
