BY TATUM NORTHINGTON
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEW
For the month of August, the Prattville Autauga Humane Society has partnered with Best Friends Animal Society. For the entire month, the shelter will have reduced price adoptions – $20 for dogs and $10 for cats. The goal of this partnership is to reduce the Shelter’s euthanasia and intake rates. The Best Friends Animal Society has not only given financially, but have also paired with the shelter staff for additional training and education to make the Prattville Autauga Humane Shelter the best that it can be, with the ultimate goal of being a no-kill shelter.
The grant from the Best Friends Animal Society will allow regular adoption qualifications to apply and the reduced fee includes age-appropriate vaccines and microchips. Any animals adopted that have not already been spayed/neutered will receive a certificate that will reduce any surgical cost when the animal is old enough to be spayed/neutered. The dogs and cats at the shelter are of every age and size, and volunteer Angie Hayden says “I think anyone could come in and find a new best friend, no matter what they’re looking for.”
Shelter Director Claudia Rigsby said that “There are approximately 150 animals at the shelter, and intakes since August 1 are at 73 – 40 dogs and 33 cats – and we are only 12 days into the month.” This is about a “70% increase in intakes from the same time last year.” Rigsby explains that “We are working on a more managed intake approach to help prevent overcrowding at the shelter, which is the most significant cause of euthanasia. We are hopeful that our partnership with Best Friends Animal Society will help give the community the tools to hopefully rehome pets they can no longer care for without making the shelter their first choice.”
Anyone needing to surrender an animal must make an appointment with the shelter prior to bringing their animal.
So, what can the community do to help?
- The single most influential thing a community member can do is to make sure to spay and neuter their animals as soon as they’re old enough. This is ultimately the only way to solve the overpopulation problem currently plaguing humane shelters across the country.
- Volunteer! The shelter can always use a pair of hands to help with dishes, laundry, cleaning, dog walking, and socializing with the animals. Also, if anyone happens to have a “superpower” in maintenance, Claudia Rigsby says “repairs are needed and we can always use help around the shelter.”
- Fostering – Animals who are being treated for heartworms need fostering as well as kittens and puppies who are too young to be in a shelter environment. The shelter takes care of all medical expenses. Angie Hayden said “I am currently fostering a kitten who has a broken leg, and the shelter took care of the medical expenses, and I just got to have and love on this kitten for a few weeks.”
- Donations -The shelter can always use pet food and cleaning supplies and of course monetary donations are always needed. The donations help treat sick and injured animals as well as treat heartworm positive animals.
The Humane Shelter is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for adoptions and no appointment is needed. You can follow their Facebook Page for updates and to see pictures of the animals in need of love. You can also call the shelter at 334-358-2882 to discuss options for donations and volunteering.
