The Humane Society for Hamilton County has been out of room since late June. Every kennel, every office, every pop-up crate is spoken for.
Then came the flooding.
As high water damaged shelters elsewhere in the state, HSHC agreed to take in 20 cats from Muncie Animal Care & Services — animals it had nowhere to put. The shelter now has more than 600 animals waiting for homes and is asking Hamilton County residents to help empty the building.
Its best shot comes Saturday, Aug. 29, when HSHC takes part in the 12th annual Clear the Shelters adoption event from noon to 5 p.m. The event is sponsored by T-Fiber.
For that day only, adoption fees drop to $10, with some exclusions. Every adoption includes a free spay or neuter, a microchip, one round of age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming, a wellness exam at a participating veterinarian and a starter bag of food. The first 50 dog and cat adoptions come with a free goodie bag.
“As our overcapacity crisis becomes more and more overwhelming, the best way our community can support us is through adoption,” said Emma Nobbe, community engagement manager for HSHC. “The longer they wait, the harder it becomes for them to imagine a life beyond the kennel walls and the fewer opportunities we have to take in other in-need animals.”
Adoption rates have been falling even as intakes climb, leaving the shelter with little margin when a neighboring community needs help.
Would-be adopters and foster families can speed things up by filling out an application in advance at hshcadoptions.com. Anyone coming Saturday should bring a government-issued photo ID, and everyone in the household must meet the animal. Families with dogs are asked to bring them along for a meet-and-greet. Renters should bring a copy of their pet policy.
HSHC is a nonprofit that also serves as Hamilton County’s animal control facility. About 21% of its budget comes from the county, covering the first 10 days of an animal’s basic care; the rest comes largely from individual donations.
The shelter is one of the few open-admission municipal shelters in the country operating as a true no-kill facility — it does not euthanize for time, space, treatable injuries or illnesses, or behavior issues that can be rehabilitated — and has averaged a 98% live placement rate since 2014.
More information is available at HamiltonHumane.com.