SEKY April 2023 | Page 15

Sears and her staff have worked hard to create relationships with animal rescues in Kentucky and Ohio to take the needy animals that the shelter can ’ t house . Typically , two to three times a week , the animal shelter staff load vans with animals that have been brought to the shelter and drive them to Florence , Ky ., or Dayton , Ohio , where they meet the personnel from the highly vetted rescues . The rescues then put the animals into foster homes where they stay until they receive veterinary care and get microchipped before they are adopted into a forever home .

“ In 2010 we did not work with any rescues and it has taken some time to do that ,” said Sears , adding that with the help of a local rescue she and her team were able to build a network to help save as many animals as they can . “ It ’ s a slow build but once we started to get connections it seemed to be a little easier .”

Sears also noted that the rescues that she ’ s been working with are also being hit hard by the effects of the pandemic lockdown adoption surge combined with the closing of spay and neuter clinics during the same time .

“ Now they ’ re just like us . We ’ re full and scrambling ,” she said .

During the pandemic lockdown animals were being adopted more frequently , Sears said , because people were working from home and they found themselves lonely and looking for companionship . However , when the lockdown ended and

people started going back to work the animals that they adopted were no longer a fit for their lifestyle and many of the animals were returned to the shelter .

“ Since Covid , our intake has been almost non-stop ,” Sears said .

Whether it ’ s the excited wag of a dog ’ s tail or the calming purr coming from a very happy kitty , the joys pet ownership can bring come with numerous health and emotional benefits . For decades research has shown that having a pet can help with mental health disorders , mood disorders , stress , anxiety , depression and hypertension . However , that ’ s what animals do for humans ; now studies are beginning to show how animals benefit from their human ’ s companionship as well .

It only takes a walk into the Pulaski County Animal Shelter to see both animals and humans benefitting from being in each other ’ s presence . Sears said that playing in the yard with staff , volunteers and visitors is a good time for the dogs .

“ It ’ s like a small decompression for them ,” Sears said .

Shelter staff and volunteers take the dogs out of their kennels as much as time allows , which not only gives the animals room to run but also gives workers time to make sure the kennels are as clean as possible . If there is extra time , staff and volunteers often pair dogs with lots of energy together so they can play with each other outside , which

provides exercise as well as socialization opportunities .

“ When people come here , they comment on how clean our shelter is and that our dogs are happy ,” Sears said , adding that she couldn ’ t do it without the staff , volunteers and correctional inmates .

The Pulaski County Animal Shelter has room for 28 adult dogs and five puppies . Cats surrendered to the animal shelter that are waiting for adoption can be housed at Petsense by Tractor Supply in Somerset where customers can adopt the furry felines .

Jeff Bullock , training store manager for the Somerset store is proud of the adoptions the employees have helped facilitate .

“ Through us , last year , we adopted 330 cats and kittens and we ’ ve been fairly successful during the last three or four years ,” Bullock said , adding that even during the pandemic the store facilitated adoptions on 200 to 300 cats each year . “ It ’ s a very successful program .”

The store can house about nine cats or kittens at a time and Bullock said that the community having access to the cats at the store is a benefit to both the community and to the animals .

Even though the Pulaski County Animals Shelter remains close to or at capacity that doesn ’ t mean that the dogs or cats get adopted without some requirements being met . No animal leaves the shelter without being either spayed or neutered . If the animal that is

Pictured at left : Assistant Director of the Pulaski County Animal Shelter Kim Sears finds herself in the middle of a puppy pile and all the puppies wanted to give kisses .

Photos by Gina Story

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April 2023 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 15