Buck the dog made a lot of friends roaming down Second Street in recent weeks. But when they reported him to the Columbia-Marion County Animal Shelter, it revealed an all-too-common problem: The owner, when contacted by the shelter, said he simply didn’t want the pet.
Buck now resides at the shelter waiting for adoption, and his story isn’t unusual.
Last year the shelter took in nearly 700 canines: 530 turned in, 150 picked up and nine left at the gate. Of those, 40 percent were transferred to other facilities, 35 percent adopted and 7 percent were returned to owners. The shelter also had to euthanize 20 percent — 141 dogs.
Director Amanda Bennett presented 2017 numbers at a recent Columbia Board of Aldermen meeting, and she said she was pleased with improved adoption rates since taking over three years ago.
The live animal release is nearly 80 percent now versus 30 percent in 2015.
So far this year, as of Wednesday, 51 animals had found homes, so there is hope for Buck. Cats are also being adopted, according to the statistics. Last year, 142 cats were adopted, 177 turned in, one left at the gate, 33 picked up, 41 euthanized, one returned to its owner; sixteen were born in the shelter and 24 were transferred.
The intakes have increased every year since Bennett started but so has the adoption rate.
“Back then, one out of three animals made it out alive. Now, eight in 10 do. I want to get that percentage to 90 eventually. It’s gone up, but unfortunately, some get sick and die and some have to be put down because they are unadoptable,” she said. “We’re always full. Right now, our numbers are in a good range with 60-70 dogs. We only have seven or eight cats. Our population is relatively low now, but in the spring it will increase quite a bit.”
She said she’s passionate about educating people about spaying and neutering. People adopting pets must sign a contract saying they will fix their animal.
“Some of the animals require that it be done before they take it home. We will not adopt animals out for breeding. It’s morally wrong to come to a shelter full of animals to adopt one to breed with and use it as a moneymaker,” she said.
All intakes at the shelter are done by appointment to ensure there is a kennel for them. Intake fees are $10 for a puppy and $20 for an adult.
“We’ve expanded, but we still have a set amount we can have here. The intake fees go to help keep the lights on. We don’t make a profit. Everything is donated,” she said.
“You’ve got to remember that when we take an animal in we have to vaccinated it, make sure it’s wormed, treat it for fleas and give it room and board,” Bennett said. “This also encourages people to have animals spayed and neutered. It helps with the overpopulation problem. Dropping animals at the gate is not fair to those folks who make appointments and pay the fees. In emergencies, we will do walk-in intakes.”
Those looking to adopt, however can come by anytime the shelter is open. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. from noon.
“The only time we’re not here is when I am on an animal control call,” Bennett said. “If they want to check, they can call (601) 731- 2991. If we’re not here, messages with phone numbers are encouraged. Hours are subject to change due to the calls.”
Bennett also encouraged people to report abuse to her.
“If I can’t see the animal, I don’t know that it needs something. We want to know if animals are suffering from neglect or physical abuse. They need vet care,” she said. “Dogs are not meant to be lawn ornaments. My job is to make sure animals in Marion County are taken care of – that goes for dogs, cats, horses or anything else.”
They have dogs and cats of all sorts available for adoption, and big dogs are the hardest to place, according to Bennett. She encouraged people to visit the shelter to adopt or to volunteer.
“Every adoption is a win,” she said.
Pictured Above: Many friendly dogs are available for adoption at the Columbia-Marion County Animal Shelter on Airport Road. | Photo by Mark Rogers
