News Summary

More than 7,500 animals were brought to Animal Friends Humane Society in 2007. Most dogs had no dog licenses. Most dogs and cats were not spayed or neutered and had no microchips for identification.

We are consistently receiving 7,000 to 8,000 animals

a year from Butler County

residents.

If you are upset, angry or depressed that thousands of animals are brought to our shelter every year and many are euthanized because they cannot all be adopted, then be a part of the solution. Have your female pets spayed and your male pets neutered. Get them microchipped for permanent identification and buy a state-mandated license for your dog. And of course, adopt your next pet from an animal shelter or rescue group.

We were hoping that in 2007 our intake numbers would have been lower due to our ongoing educational and media efforts, but that was not the case. Dogs and cats that were not spayed or neutered ran loose in our community and produced litters that placed a tremendous burden on our overcrowded shelter.

Most owners failed to put ID tags on their dogs and cats. Also, many area people bred dogs for profit and many of these animals ended up at our shelter. Twenty-five percent of our dogs are a variety of pure breeds. Yes, 25 percent were purposefully bred.

There are many excellent veterinarian clinics in Butler County that can spay or neuter dogs and cats. We recommend you take your pet to your trusted family vet.

If finances are a problem, Animal Friends has received a grant from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank Trust, to provide low income spay/neuter surgeries of dogs for $30 and $20 for cats through our SNIP partners. In addition, regular income families can spay/neuter their dogs for $50 and cats for $25 through our partner UCAN.

Owning a pet is a serious responsibility. Be sure you are able to afford regular vet care, quality food and pet comforts before you get a pet. Spay/neuter your pet. License your dog and put microchips in both cats and dogs. The Humane Society offers low-cost microchips and dog licenses. Make your pets part of your family with daily interaction and exercise.

Please resolve to be an excellent pet parent in 2008 and help us reduce the huge amount of animal suffering that is a result of pet overpopulation.

Leland Gordon

Executive Director

Animal Friends

Humane Society

Trenton