TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – In just weeks, the number of dogs being cared for at the Henry County Humane Society has more than doubled. Overwhelmed by the influx, shelter staff are now asking the community for support.
“We’re kind of struggling right now with the amount of animals we have,” Krystyll Harden, the shelter’s director, said. “We’re really hoping to get more of them adopted. We’re looking for more support. We don’t have any government or county funding. Donations and fundraisers are how we able to continue to do these kinds of services for our community.”
Harden said the shelter normally has about 10 dogs at a time; currently, that number is more like 25, including two litters of puppies.
“We’re just way past our capacity here,” Harden said.
Some of the new arrivals, like a husky named Phoenix, were taken from their owners because the animals were being kept in poor conditions. Phoenix, for example, was severely underweight and covered in flees.
“He was very emaciated, underweight. He had to be hospitalized because he couldn’t keep anything down,” Harden said. “That is greatly increasing our vet bills.”
With only five paid employees and tons of cats and dogs, the shelter doesn’t just need money.
“We need dog walkers and we need people to help just with the day-to-day operations as well. You know, socializing to cleaning. We need it all,” the shelter’s Kennel Manager Jennifer Olejniczak said.
The community has rallied around the shelter before, raising tens of thousands of dollars to aid in repairs after 13 Action News reported on deplorable conditions inside the shelter.
Now shelter staff are hoping the community pulls through again.
”Any help we get is just invaluable,” Olejniczak said.
People interested in helping the shelter can donate online, volunteer, adopt a pet or participate in one of the shelter’s upcoming fundraisers:
– Bingo Fundraiser: Monday nights from 5 – 10 p.m. at 470 Independence Dr. Napoleon, Ohio
– Third-annual Deck the Paws Fundraiser: Dec. 8 from 2 – 5 p.m. at 1136 Independence Dr. Napoleon, Ohio
– Furball: Feb. 8 at the Armory Arts and Events Center
The shelter also has upcoming adoption sales. From Nov. 25 through the 29, black cats are $10, other cats are $20 and kittens are $30. Additionally, during the holidays, the shelter is offering lower adoption fees for pit bulls, at $75 for an adult and $100 for puppies.
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