Foster Homes Needed
The
open admission, non-profit Humane Society in Trenton is teeming with cats and
dogs that need foster homes and permanent homes. This past week, the Humane
Society took in 111 dogs and cats from the community, including three on Easter
day. The Humane Society has taken in over 1,300 animals in 2008.
"When
is this going to end. Why do we consistently take in over 7,000 animals a year
from Butler County residents". The answer is simple says Executive Director
Leland Gordon. "There is a small element of our community who simply refuse to
spay or neuter their pets. Whether it be for profit, for show, some kind of
macho status, or that their pet never gets out. The result is thousands of dogs
are bred for profit and thousands more are bred by accident. In addition, the
majority of dog owners in Butler County do not license their dogs which is
required by state law. Finally, many people do not make life long commitments
to their pets and simply choose to drop them off at the Humane
Society".
The
combination of lack of spay/neuter, lack of pet identification, and lack of
commitment leads to the annual intake of over 7,000 dogs and cats. Gordon
admits that once in a while the Humane Society does see licensed and
spayed/neutered dogs come in as strays, but it is rare.
To
help, the Humane Society offers the community low cost spay/neuter services for
both low income and regular income residents of Butler County. Cats can be
fixed for as little as $20 and dogs as little as $30. The Humane Society also
offers micro-chipping for $20 and dog licenses.
Most
importantly, the Humane Society is now needing temporary foster homes for
kittens, puppies, and large dogs over 30 pounds. Gordon states that most people
who visit the Humane Society do not adopt large dogs for some reason. "Large
dogs are lots of fun", said Gordon. However, he admitted he is bias as he owns
two 70 pound mixes who sleep in front of his fireplace.
To
become a foster parent, call Tara at the Humane Society for an application
513-867-5727 or visit www.animalfriendshs.org
