For Animal Shelters, Bad Economy Is Good for Dogs
February 4, 2010 by Kendra Poling
The economy has affected business with dog adoptions at county agencies. Shelters are taking in more dogs and seekers are looking at these places more as an option to get a dog.
According to Susan Smith, community relations manager at the Franklin County Dog Shelter, the shelter is seeing more cases now where people have to bring their dogs in because of their financial inability to care for an animal.
“We are seeing more cases where people bring their pets in because they are not able to afford them,” Smith said.
Smith also spoke about the rising interest at the shelter of dog seekers because it is an economical way to acquire a pet.
“It’s an unexpected plus for us,” she said.
The cost to adopt from the Franklin County Dog Shelter is $117, although some dogs can be obtained for as little as $67. The dogs are spayed or neutered, given shots, wormed and inserted with microchips.
Lethal injection is used to euthanize dogs at this shelter because of a lack of space to keep all of them.
Counseling is available at the Franklin County Dog Shelter to assist a person looking for a dog to find the right match for themselves and their lifestyle. Help is offered after a person adopts a dog if they have questions or need help with training.
Foster and volunteer opportunities are available at the Franklin County Dog Shelter. Fosters help to free up space in the shelter for the new dogs that come in daily, and volunteers come to visit with the animals and participate in various activities.
“It is fun for the dogs and for the volunteers,” Smith said of the opportunities available at the shelter.
Annually there are about 13,000 dogs brought in to the Franklin County Dog Shelter and according to Smith about 90 percent of them are stray or abandoned while the other 10 percent are lost dogs.
There are other shelters in surrounding central Ohio that have dogs up for adoption. The Fairfield County Dog Shelter takes in strays that are found in the county and according to the Deputy Dog Warden Sandy Moyer they are seeing a few cases where people are bringing their dogs in because of their financial situation.
There have been more dogs adopted because of their affordability Moyer discussed about their program. She also spoke about the adoption process and how dogs really choose the owners.
“You can pick a dog, but the dog picks you,” Moyer said.
The fee to adopt at this shelter is $50. The dogs are not given medical care or shots so they recommend that the adopter take the animal to a veterinarian after they adopt.
According to the Dog Warden’s Assistant Nina West dogs are euthanized after being up for adoption for about two weeks to a month.
“It depends on cage space, usually two weeks to a month,” West said.
West discussed how their shelter does not associate with foster programs.
“Because we are a county agency dogs have to be held at the shelter,” said West.
The adoption rate is 65 percent at this shelter.
There are 52 kennels at the Fairfield County Dog Shelter.
The Franklin County Dog Shelter runs on County tax funds, and it also receives money from dog licenses, while the Fairfield County Dog Shelter runs on money from adoptions and dog licenses.
The Franklin County Dog Shelter has broken ground on the north side of Columbus off of Morse Road on an 8 acre lot and are getting ready to build. The new facility will be larger and roomier for pets and people. There will be more kennels and more room to move around, the new facility will also have a modern layout.