Last week, the Fayette Regional Humane Society (FRHS) once again participated in the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s (BPF) “Empty the Shelters” event, which assists in finding animals a home by sponsoring adoption costs.
Several households took part in the lowered adoption costs, only having to pay $25 to home an animal in need that FRHS spayed/neutered, vaccinated, micro-chipped, etc.
During the week (Oct. 3-9) FRHS, located at 153 S. Main St. in Washington C.H., adopted out 35 animals between on-site and off-site centers, according to the FRHS Facebook page.
FRHS Chief Humane Agent and Outreach Director Brad Adams explained 20 animals are typically adopted out during the event on-site, but only 15 adoptions were made during this event.
“While the goal is to ‘Empty the Shelters’ as the event is titled, we never actually empty out. We always have all of the animals that were available for adoption during the event that weren’t adopted, all of the other animals that are not adoption-ready due to not being age appropriate, spayed or neutered or have completed a sufficient series of vaccines, or under health observations. Sometimes, we immediately get calls from people who automatically think we emptied our facility and wants to bring animals to us, which isn’t the case, and we still operate under a managed intake process through an intake waiting list,” explained Adams.
Prior to the adoption event, there were 32 cats and kittens in the facility ready to be adopted out of a total of 79 in the facility and in foster care. The waiting list had 243 animals on it. Now, after the adoption event, there are 66 animals at the care and adoption center, 41 animals in foster care, and 243 on the intake waiting list.
On social media, FRHS staff gave “a thank-you to everyone for helping (them) by fostering and the continued patience of those on (their) managed intake waiting list.”
Plenty of households traveled to adopt — including from Frankfort, New Vienna, Circleville, Leesburg, Sabina and Hillsboro.
Not only did BISSELL Pet Foundation team up with FRHS, but it teamed up with 180-plus shelter partners in 35 states to reduce adoption fees.
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, micro-chipping and emergency support, according to the BISSELL website.
As previously reported, FRHS could use the assistance of community members — foster homes are always needed for cats and kittens. Foster homes are also occassionally needed for young puppies that need regular feedings. Feeding for either cats or puppies is typically every two-to-three hours. If other animals are in the household, the foster home must be safe for both the household pets and the animals being fostered. Those interested can stop by the center for more information and to complete paperwork.
Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.
