FROM KARI KUH
DBCHS
Next year the Danville-Boyle County Humane Society will celebrate its 50th anniversary. As we prepare for the next half century, we reach out beyond the walls to make Danville and Boyle Counties the most compassionate, friendly animal community in Kentucky.
Before us, church leaders delivered the vision for DBCHS, built the Katherine E. Nelsen Adoption Center, and established effective programs. Over the past few years, DBCHS has built on this foundation by implementing evidence-based best practices that guide the way we adopt animals into the animal shelter environment, treat the animals in our care, and help them find permanent homes.
Safety nets like Home To Home ™ and our Community Cat Program treat animals where they are. With Home To Home ™, DBCHS helps owners find a new home for their pets instead of leaving them to the shelter. The Community Cat Program uses Trap / Neuter / Vaccinate / Return to home (TNVR) to have free range cats neutered / neutered at no cost to their keepers. TNVR protects public health, curbs the free-range cat population, and dramatically lowers shelter death rates.
Mutts with Manners, a volunteer-run dog training program at Northpoint, and Happy Paws, our volunteer-run, low-cost neutering / neutering clinic, are two of our best-known safety net programs that help pets live their best lives.
Together, these safety nets have reduced the “length of stay” for animals in our care to a historic low of five days and saved many pets the stress of even going to the animal shelter and reserving space for injured, abandoned and sick animals.
So far this year we have helped bring 140 animals to new homes, reunite more than 50 lost pets with their people, and offer castration / neutering to more than 500 animals at low cost or free of charge. Together with our partners at Boyle County Animal Control, we have positively influenced almost 700 animals, but only 150 of these dogs and cats were taken to the shelter!
DBCHS recently completed a strategic planning process to assess the needs of our community and prepare for our future. Nearly 200 people have provided their input by completing surveys or taking part in interviews and we are so grateful! Because of this, we are committed to focusing our efforts on three main areas:
• improving animal health in our community;
• Engaging the public to work with us on animal welfare and policy making;
• Providing more resources to support animal owners.
Because we know details matter, you can check out our full roadmap at www.dbchs.org.
Here’s how you can help.
Invite us to speak to your ward, ward, church, or other group to answer your questions and discuss our goals. (We pick you up from where you are! Training friends? Poker night, friends? Class? Office?)
Let us know if you would like to learn more about caring for animals.
Like our Facebook page and visit dbchs.org to stay up to date on adoptable animals and initiatives.
If you see a healthy outdoor cat that needs changing, call 859-238-1117 Monday through Friday between 1pm and 1pm to schedule a free surgery.
If you are looking for or adopting a new home for your pet, visit dbchs.home-home.org.
Together we will reach beyond the protective walls and save more lives.
To support us in our life saving mission call 859-238-1117 or email me: karikuh@dbchs.org. I am pleased to meet you!
