Oconee Humane Society way over Intake Limits

Now that kids are out of school for the summer, many families will consider adopting a pet.  Look no further than the local Oconee Humane Society at 1925 Sandifer Boulevard in Seneca.  Their shelter is currently way over their intake limits and would like to find loving homes for these needy pets, says Oconee Humane Society Board president Randy Vansterdamn.  “Intake is our biggest problem.  The shelter was originally designed for 150 animals and our intake in 2012 was 4,031 animals.” That intake rate is three times the national average.  The Oconee Humane Society encourages spaying and neutering of pets to reduce the overpopulation problem, says Vansterdamn. “We need everybody to spay and neuter their animals.  We are always on the look out for folks that would like to be fosters.  Since the shelter will only handle 150 animals, the way we increase the size of the shelter without having to build another building is we have foster families.  We take these animals that come in and place them out in the community with people that will care for them and love them until an adoptive family comes along.” The total cost of impoundment at the Oconee Humane Society is $101 per animal and that figure is increasing.  The Oconee Humane Society’s goal is to find loving homes for each animal that comes in, concludes Vansterdamn. “Our biggest challenge is reducing the intake number to a manageable number; we want every animal that comes in to go out to a loving family.” Currently, only 40% of the animals that are brought into the Oconee Humane Society are adopted.  To see the pets available for adoption at the Oconee Humane Society, visit www.oconeehumane.org.