Lee County Humane Society

Renew Your City Tags

Just a reminder for city of Auburn residents, it's time to renew your city tags.  The cost is $5.00 for spayed or neutered pets and $15.00 for unaltered animals.  Tags may be renewed at Auburn City Hall which is located at 114 Tichenor Avenue in downtown.  Make sure you have a copy of your proof of rabies vaccination form.  "It's your dogs best ticket home!"

Pet of the Week

"Bosco" has a lot of energy, but can also offer a lot of love to the right family.  Visit "Bosco" and the many other adorable animals at the Lee County Humane Society Tuesday-Sunday 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Bosco Needs a Home

Last night I was asked the question “How many puppies are adopted compared to older dogs?” While I couldn’t tell him the exact figures without looking them up, I was sure we adopt more puppies than anything.

Everyone knows what you get with a puppy. Energy, chewing, bathroom problems, late nights and early mornings. But we also know most, if not all, of this will go away as the puppy grows older.

Adopting an adult dog is a little different. I found an excerpt from the Web site The Senior Dog Project (www.srdogs.com) that answers the question “Won’t I be adopting someone else’s problem?”:

Older dogs lose their homes for many different reasons....most of them having nothing to do with problems the dog has, but rather with those of the person or family surrendering the dog. Many folks think dogs who end up at shelters or in rescue are all genetically and behaviorally inferior. But, it is not uncommon for very expensive, well-bred dogs to outlive their usefulness or novelty with folks who bought them on impulse and no longer want to take responsibility for them.

Other reasons older dogs become homeless: death of a guardian....not enough time for the dog...... change in work schedule..... new baby.....need to move to a place where dogs are not allowed.... kids going off to college.... allergies.... change in "lifestyle".... prospective spouse doesn't like dogs. (All these reasons are taken from real case histories.)

Bosco is an adult dog. He has been at the Lee County Humane Society since July 1, 2008 and is ready to find someone who can give him a permanent home. Bosco has been at the LCHS longer than any other animal currently in our care. He is a mix between a Heeler and a Bulldog and was brought to the shelter by his owner who could not care for him anymore.

If Bosco isn’t the right dog for you, consider looking at another adult dog to adopt. The kennels are full with some great adult dogs (and adult cats), but not that many puppies. We won’t see very many puppies being brought to the shelter until April or May.

The Lee County Humane Society is located off University Drive on the west side of Auburn, AL. For more information or directions to the shelter please visit www.leecountyhumane.org. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (leecountyhumane).

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: Normally I ask for basic need items as our weekly wish but this week I have a big and specific request. The LCHS needs a computer to develop communication material. We need an Apple MacBook or MacBook Pro with an Intel processor, a used computer is fine. It would also be great to have a copy of Adobe Creative Suite. I know it’s a big request, but I know we won’t get one unless we ask.

Jack Fisher, Board Member

Pet of the Week

 

"Victor" is a young, hound mix who is charming and plays well with other dogs.  Visit "Victor" at the Lee County Humane Society Tuesday-Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

Committed to a Long TImer

Victor has been at the Lee County Humane Society for a long time. He came to the shelter early in 2008 as a stray and was moved to our adoption area once space was available. He was adopted in September and, for some reason, was returned within a few weeks.

Victor is a male hound dog mix who is about three years old. He is lovable and has a great expression on his face. He would make a wonderful companion for the right person and he needs a new home.

Victor is NOT an exception, he is the rule at the Lee County Humane Society. Once an animal is placed in our adoption area of the shelter, we are committed to caring for that animal until he or she is adopted. Some animals stay with us for a short time before they are adopted and others. like Victor, might be at the shelter for almost a year.

Don’t misunderstand me, we do euthanize animals. Unfortunately that is the reality of where we are with animal care and control in the southeastern United States. I wish it were different. We try hard to save every animal that comes through the doors of the Lee County Humane Society but the numbers are against us.

There are days during the warmer months starting in April that we are full all the time. The warmer months are puppy and kitten season. These months we can have as many as 70-80 animals relinquished daily at our shelter.

The “No-Kill” or “limited admission” facilities are an option. Many of them do a great job of caring for and adopting many dogs and cats from across the United States. The problem is, they have their limitations too.

Limited admission facilities reach their capacity and then they must shut their doors to new arrivals. Once this happens pet owners and those who have found strays have few options. The two most common are to visit their local open admission shelter, like us, or to dump the dog or cat in a remote area and drive away.

So, before you buy that new dog or cat from a pet store or a breeder, visit a shelter. You may not find the perfect pet the first time you look, but don’t give up, we receive over 6000 animals a year and one is bound to be the right one eventually.

The Humane Society Weekly Wish: Come by and visit Victor, he is in the first row of dogs on the right when you walk in our large dog adoption area. If he isn’t the right one for you, take a look around there are many more available.