Randolph
County Humane Society
195 Weese St. Ext.
PO Box 785
Elkins, WV 26241
304 636-7844
Are you a "no-kill" shelter?We are an "open-admission" shelter. That means that we accept every homeless, lost and abused pet that's brought to us. In a year's time, that's about 2400 dogs & cats. The most difficult thing that our staff does at the Shelter is euthanize animals. We make every effort to place animals with new, loving and lasting families, but the fact remains that there is a pet overpopulation problem in this country. This is why it's so important that pet owners spay or neuter their pets; there are just not enough homes for all of the pets that are born. Instead of allowing an animal to run stray on the street and get hit by a car, suffer from starvation or disease, or even cruel treatment from someone who doesn't care about animals, it's more humane to euthanize it if it can't be adopted to a new home. Surrendering
your pet?RCHS accepts all pets. Unfortunately, we are unable to guarantee that your pet will be adopted. It is your responsibility to weigh the risks and benefits to your pet when giving it away. RCHS makes every effort to ensure that the animals we adopt are placed, not just anywhere, but with people who will provide good care for the animal for the rest of its life. Animals that are not offered for adoption or that do not get adopted, will be humanely euthanised. (Also see, How Long Are Animals Kept At The Shelter? below.) RCHS cannot notify you before euthanizing your pet or return it to you if it is not adopted.
Is there a charge to leave an animal at the shelter?
There is no charge for leaving a stray or injured animal at RCHS but we appreciate a monetary donation to help defray our expenses. We do charge a nominal fee to owners who are turning over their own pets. We spend about $10.00 to $15.00 per animal per day to provide quality care for the animals we shelter. The amount of any donation or fee will not affect how long a particular animal is kept at the shelter.
I've found a stray animal. What should I do?You have 3 options. First you may elect to care for the animal in your home while trying to locate the owner. Call RCHS to file a found pet report, for assistance tracing tags, and to get additional information on ways to find the owner. Secondly, you can confine the animal and call your local animal control agency to it pick up. Most of the agencies in our area impound the strays they pick up at RCHS, however, some towns have other arrangements for sheltering strays. Also note that some agencies will only pick up dogs and most will not pick up uninjured animals outside their normal business hours. Finally, you may bring the animal to the RCHS shelter during business hours. All stray animals brought to RCHS, whether by animal control or private citizens, are held 5 days to allow the owner to claim them. After this period, unclaimed animals are considered to have been surrendered by default and may be made available for adoption or euthanised. Finders wishing to adopt the animal if it is not claimed, are subject to regular adoption policies and procedures. They should come to the shelter to fill out an adoption application prior to the end of the 5 day period.
How long are animals kept at the Shelter?Once an animal has been surrendered to RCHS, there is no set amount of time that it may be kept before it is euthanised or adopted into a new home. Some animals may never be offered for adoption, others may remain for available for adoption for weeks. Factors that determine if, and how long an animal will be available for adoption include the animal's health, behavioral and training history, behavior at the shelter, and age, as well as the amount of kennel space available in the shelter. Every surrendered animal is re-evaluated daily with respect to these factors, and the most healthy, socially adjusted animals are assigned to the available space in the adoption area.
What kinds of things do your volunteers do?RCHS volunteers help in many, many different ways. Some of our volunteers help us clean kennels and socialize our animals. This may include walking dogs or cuddling cats. Other volunteers help us serve adopters by answering phones and greeting shelter visitors. Volunteers also help us with administrative duties, including fundraising projects and public relations efforts. (Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.)
What do I need to do to be a volunteer?Thank you for asking! Go to our volunteer page to find out all you need to know. |
|
|
|
