August 15th is International Homeless Animals Day, and because of that, Ontario County Humane Society is putting the spotlight on the 14 dogs and cats at the shelter still in need of loving forever homes. While there has been a surge in pet adoption over the past five months and nearly 70 animals were adopted from OCHS during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still plenty of deserving animals waiting for their second chance.
Most of the dogs and cats in OCHS’s care today need forever homes without any children or other pets. As a licensed no-kill shelter, there is no predetermined length of time they can stay at the shelter. However, the goal is to place animals into the right home, under the best circumstances for the animal and adopting families, as quickly as possible.
“The animals at our shelter are deserving of love and ready for forever homes,” OCHS Adoption Coordinator Erika Murphy said. “They’ve been incredibly patient while watching others be adopted throughout the pandemic, and it’s their turn for a happy ending in a forever home.”
OCHS leaders hope that individuals and families thinking about adopting will consider doing so on or by International Homeless Animals Day on August 15. The best ways to observe International Homeless Animals Day is to donate to a shelter, spay or neuter your pet (which OCHS can perform) and/or adopt or foster a pet.
Adopters can find their perfect pet on the OCHS website, weekly virtual meet and greets on Facebook or by appointment. Those unable to adopt a pet at this time but still looking to help animals can make a gift to the Ontario County Humane Society through the Clear the Shelter Campaign. For the sixth year, NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations are partnering with GreaterGood.org to help thousands of shelter pets find loving homes through their Clear the Shelters campaign—which to date has found homes for more than 400,000 adoptable pets.
For more information on Canandaigua-based Ontario County Humane Society and Happy Tails Animal Shelter, and to learn more about the virtual adoption process, visit www.ontariocountyhumanesociety.org.
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