Adopt-A-Dog Month Spotlight: Hamilton Co. Humane Society | Broad ...

by Keelee Hurlburt

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Throughout the course of October?s Adopt-a-Dog awareness, we?ve introduced you to many excellent rescue groups around the city who are working to improve the life of Indianapolis? dogs.

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You?ve met the dogs at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control, the greyhounds of GPOA, and the gang at Beagle Buddies. This week, the Humane Society of Hamilton County is stepping into the spotlight.

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Located in Noblesville, the Humane Society of Hamilton County is currently home to an estimated 300 cats and approximately 100 dogs, all of who are in need of a loving home.

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?We take pride in the fact that we are an open admission shelter,? Francesca Marino, Hamilton County Humane Society?s Manager of Community Outreach, said. ?We don?t cherry-pick the pets we accept, we take them all.?

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This is not a commitment the Hamilton County Humane Society takes lightly. When they no longer have room for surrendered and stray pets on site, they find local rescue groups and foster families to care for them while they wait for their forever homes.

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?We have amazing foster families who care for pets,? Marino said. ?Fosters provide a tender, loving, and caring environment for pets rather than the stress of shelter life.?

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Genuine concern for the pets that come to the shelter is only one of the services that Hamilton County Humane provides.

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?Our whole mission statement is saving lives, educating communities, and completing families,? Marino said.

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The shelter fulfills these self-made goals in many ways.

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?We never perform euthanasias for time or space, and we pride ourselves on this,? Marino said.? ?There are not many shelters that take that approach.?

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As of last May, Hamilton County Humane unveiled Pets Healing Vets, a program designed to benefit both animals in need of a home and returning veterans who suffer from a traumatic brain injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They have paired up five pets and veterans so far.

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When it comes to education, Hamilton Humane offers many outreach programs to build awareness within the community, including pit bull education as well as training and behavioral support to help dogs and cats fit comfortably into their new lives a companion pet.

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The completing families portion of the mission statement is fulfilled daily, as evidenced by shelter volunteer Barb Thatcher.

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Thatcher met Jack, a golden mix, last spring. The family?s previous pets had passed away a few years prior and they wanted to wait a while longer before adopting another dog. Then they met Jack, who was being fostered by a friend of Thatcher?s.

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?I agreed to watch Jack for a week while they went on vacation and he never left our house again,? Thatcher said.

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?He came in our house and we just meshed. It was like he was made for us. He is exactly what we wanted. He reads our minds.?

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Thatcher has been a volunteer at Hamilton Humane ever since.

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Stories like this keep Marino passionate about her job.

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?I just want people to come and save a life. I think people think we don?t get high end dogs, but we do. Come here and look,? Marino encouraged.

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The shelter is also home to many older pets, who are harder to adopt out than puppies and kittens.

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?There are so many advantages to adopting a senior pet. They don?t need potty training and they already know basic commands,? Marino said.

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Fighting against the stigma associated with shelter pets, as well as senior pets, is an ongoing job, according to Marino.

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?These are good animals who have, along with their owners, fallen on a rough time. I just want to have people come and look. I promise they will fall in love,? she said.

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Another challenge that the shelter faces is funding. Hamilton Humane receives 31 percent of their funding from Hamilton County taxes, but the remaining 69 percent of their funding comes from donations, events, membership and adoption fees, and corporate sponsorships.

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?People who donate are doing more than they can ever imagine,? Marino said. ?They are saving lives.?

Source: http://bracpet.com/blog/2012/10/adopt-a-dog-month-spotlight-hamilton-co-humane-society/

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