Animals Come to SHS in Many Ways

Stray and Free Roaming Animals

Stray animals, or animals found roaming on their own, make up about half the number of animals we serve. If you have lost or found a pet please visit our lost and found page.

These animals present a potential danger to the public and to other animals. Some are aggressive, others may have diseases that can be transmitted to people and other animals.

Stray animals cause hazards on our roads and highways and are at significant risk of being injured or killed themselves.

Stray Dogs

If these pets are not spayed or neutered there is an additional risk of adding to the unwanted pet population.

The majority of these animals are pets who have been allowed to wander away from home. If they are wearing current identification or are microhipped, we can notify their owners and have them home quickly. Without identification, we must rely on the their family to come to the Humane Society to find their pet.

Sadly, most stray animals who come to us do not have families that claim them. Most of these animals have done nothing but fall victim to irresponsible pet owners and just need some TLC and a second chance.

If these pets are temperamentally sound and healthy, or able to be rehabilitated, we give them every chance to be adopted into a new and loving home.

Unwanted Pets

The other half of the animals we serve are brought to us by their owners. The reasons are numerous. . .

"Too many" often means an unspayed pet had a litter of unwanted puppies or kittens for which homes could not be found. . .

"Cost" can refer to the basics such as diet and preventative veterinary care, or emergency expenses such as a medical condition. . .

Unwanted behaviors such as chewing, digging, jumping, or marking territory are common as are minor medical concerns. . .

The list goes on and on. But whatever the reason, the SHS does not judge or question. We welcome every animal and are grateful that the owner made a safe and responsible decision for their pet. We know they could have chosen as others do, to abandon their pets to its own devices.

SHS Services That Can Help Pet Owners Avoid These Circumstances

While we are here for every animal who needs us, we want for pet owners to see us as a resource to call before they make the difficult decision to give up their companion.

Pet owners facing problem behaviors can contact our training and behavior department for help.

If your pet has a medical problem the SHS may be able to help with, please contact our veterinary clinic.

Dogs and cats can be microchipped for as little as $20 ($10 at our monthly low cost vaccine clinics) so that we can find their owners if they become lost.