Animal shelters are always in need of kind and caring people to adopt dozens of dogs and cats in search of forever homes — and that need continues and remains just as important into the winter season.
Naomi Pobuda, Cherryland Humane Society communications and marketing manager and outreach coordinator, said this year, the shelter has taken in more kittens than usual due to the warm fall weather. With dogs, she said intake is generally slower in the winter, however, hoarding cases, animal neglect, or when there’s a natural disaster like the recent hurricane down south, affect their numbers, too.
Every day looks different, Pobuda explained, but the shelter has also seen an influx of people wanting to surrender their family pets because of the housing crisis and lack of places that allow pets. In addition, Cherryland has a contract with animal control, so the facility houses and takes care of those incoming dogs and cats as well. With animal neglect cases, the dogs or cats involved can’t find homes during an ongoing investigation, so Cherryland staff takes care of them until they are able to be adopted out.
“A lot of people are in tears because they’re losing their home or they’re moving into an apartment building that doesn’t allow dogs or doesn’t allow pit bulls…” Pobuda said. “The numbers are always changing because we always have a lot of other animals on the animal control side.”
Cherryland is a no-kill shelter, so some of the animals being cared for at the facility can be there for longer periods of time when not adopted. One of the dogs at Cherryland, Finnegan, has been there for about 800 days, and spends a lot of time in a foster home, but is still looking for his forever home. Pobuda said the long term residents tend to be dogs or cats that need to be the only pet in the family though.
“Sometimes we’ll get a dog or cat in and it will go in a week, so it always depends,” she said. “But if it’s a dog or cat that can be with kids, dogs, and (other) cats, they tend to get out of here pretty quickly.”
The adoption process can be easily started by going online and completing an application for either a cat or dog. Following the application submission, an adoption counselor will be in touch with next steps to set up a time to visit the shelter. At Cherryland, Pobuda said they also have an on-staff certified dog trainer, so those looking to adopt a dog can essentially get free training for life if needed.
“We just want to make sure that everyone’s set up for success,” she said.
Donations play a crucial role in helping the shelter operate and for providing a safe and loving environment while animals await to find their forever home. There are two wishlists, an Amazon and Chewy affiliate program, available online to help support the animals. Donations of food, toys for enrichment, cleaning supplies for the kennels and cat condos, leashes, blankets, and other essentials are all things that help staff continue to provide care. At this time of year and with the ongoing severe weather patterns, Pobuda said they are especially in need of things like pet-safe ice melt. No matter the weather, staff and volunteers need to walk the dogs twice a day to get them out of their kennels.
To learn more about Cherryland Humane Society or to find a list of other supplies and items needed, go online to www.cherrylandhumane.org/ wishlists.
