Wonderful Wendy is described as “the perfect dog” by the shelter team. She is calm and gentle with people, children, and other dogs. Wendy walks easily on a leash and enjoys daily walkies with the “Aunties” at the shelter. She makes fast friends and hasn’t met a person or dog she doesn’t like!
Wendy came to the shelter as a stray and was not reclaimed by her owners. She deserves a loving, permanent home. If you can provide that, please scan the QR code beside her picture to learn more about her and apply to adopt her now!
The shelter team has been very busy this first half of 2024! From 1/1/2024 to 6/30/2024, the shelter took in 187 dogs. Over half of these dogs, 59 percent, were strays, followed by 24 percent owner surrender, 8 percent were neglect or cruelty cases, 5 percent were abandoned, and the remaining 4 percent entered the shelter for other reasons. During this time, 174 dogs left the shelter, with 33 percent adopted, 22 percent reclaimed by their owners, and 43 percent transferred to rescue organizations. Only a few dogs passed away: 3 puppies died shortly after birth in an MCAS foster home, and one dog was euthanized due to severe aggression per its owner’s request.
MCAS reached no-kill status in 2022 and was recently recognized for reaching no-kill status again in 2023, according to Best Friends Animal Society’s annual data report https://bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/animal-shelter-statistics. No-kill status means the shelter saved more than 90 percent of the dogs that entered the shelter last year. The shelter proudly displays the no-kill plaques received from Best Friends Animal Society for 2022 and 2023 in the foyer.
So far, in 2024, the shelter team has saved 98 percent of the dogs who came into custody. If this trend continues, we will achieve no-kill status again in 2024. Driving this achievement is our
partnership with many rescue organizations and the shelter’s foster program. So far this year, 57 shelter dogs have spent time in foster homes, giving them much-needed time away from the hectic shelter environment, which decreases their stress and increases their adoptability. Shelter volunteers also do much to improve the shelter dogs’ lives and help with adoption events and community outreach.
We hope to see a decrease in the number of unwanted pets in our community through spaying/neutering. The shelter team was thrilled with the excellent turnout for the Kentucky Humane Society’s Care-a-van free spay/neuter and microchip event in May and hope they will return to our area in the future. We encourage everyone to spay/neuter their pets! Contact the shelter or visit https://www.rock4rescue.com/spay-and-neuter-resources for a list of spay/neuter cost-reducing resources and providers.
Upcoming Events:
· 7/4/2024: Look for the Mason County Animal Shelter/Rock 4 Rescue float in the Maysville 4th of July Parade starting at 7 PM in downtown Maysville!
· 8/9/2024-8/10/2024: Visit the Mason County Animal Shelter/Rock 4 Rescue booth at Oktoberfest in downtown Maysville! We will be selling raffle tickets for a gorgeous bourbon barrel dog feeder and a bourbon basket from Old Pogue Distillery!
· 8/10/2024 at 8 PM: Rock 4 Rescue’s benefit concert at Washington Opera House featuring Thunderstruck: America’s AC/DC & Rebel Sound Club! Special Guest Emcee, “Freakdaddy” from Classic Rock 92.1! All proceeds benefit MCAS dogs and at-risk pets! Maysville Players will benefit from bar sales that evening. Go to www.rock4rescue.com or visit our booth at Oktoberfest for more information and to purchase tickets!
Adoption Information:
All dogs adopted from Mason County Animal Shelter are spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, dewormed, and treated with flea/tick preventatives. Adoption fees are half-priced thanks to the EnviroFlight Fur-ever Home Adoption Sponsorship Program! Adult dog adoption fees are $40, and puppy adoption fees are $60! One generous individual is willing to pay the adoption fee for a veteran to adopt a dog of their choice. Tom and Gail Wise have sponsored five dogs. Sponsors for the remainder of the adoption fee for any of the shelter’s dogs are welcome!
Adopters must complete a brief application online or at the shelter before they are approved to adopt. Go to the shelter’s Adopt-a-Pet website to view all available animals and fill out the application to adopt: www.adoptapet.com/shelter/90606/available-pets/pets
Or visit the shelter’s Petfinder website: www.petfinder.com/member/us/ky/maysville/mason-county-animal-shelter-ky421
MCAS needs more volunteers and foster homes! You can foster a dog for as long as you like, a few hours or a “Doggo Day Out,” a weekend, a few weeks, or longer. Volunteers can help in many ways, including walking dogs, grooming/bathing dogs, helping with playgroups, transporting, or helping at meet-and-greet events out in the community. If you want to become an MCAS volunteer and/or fosterer or sponsor a dog’s adoption fees, please call the shelter at 606-564-6067 or email animalshelter@masoncountykentucky.us.
Visit and follow the shelter’s Facebook page for more information on all available dogs, the volunteer program, foster programs, and upcoming events: https://www.facebook.com/masoncountyanimalshelter
Subscribe to the MCAS Volunteers YouTube channel for videos of all the available dogs: https://www.youtube.com/@MCASVolunteers.
Spay/Neuter Resources:
We encourage everyone to spay/neuter their pets to help control the unwanted pet population. Go to https://www.rock4rescue.com/spay-and-neuter-resources for a list of spay/neuter providers that service animals in our area and spay/neuter voucher programs. This list includes organizations that advertise low-cost spaying/neutering and other services.
Humane Society of Buffalo Trace Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) vouchers are available to Mason County residents and can be used at the veterinarian of your choice. Apply online at www.bit.ly/hsbt-snap. Donations to the Humane Society of Buffalo Trace can be submitted via tinyurl.com/HSBTgive.
Pet Rehoming Resources:
If you need to rehome a pet, you can use one of these sites to do so yourself:
• Adopt a Pet – https://rehome.adoptapet.com/
• Home to Home – https://home-home.org/rehome/
Donations for the dogs are appreciated!
Purchase supplies locally and bring them to the shelter, or purchase via our Amazon Wishlist link available via the “Donate to This Shelter” option on our Adopt-a-Pet site. Gently used collars, leashes, dog crates, dog beds, and blankets are also greatly appreciated! You can donate to help the shelter dogs and other at-risk Mason County community pets via Rock 4 Rescue. Go to rock4rescue.com for information.
