The staff and volunteers of the Pulaski County Animal Shelter take great pride in keeping these kennels clean both for the animals and perspective pet parents .
adopted hasn ’ t had the procedure done the animal won ’ t be available for pickup until after the surgery . The procedures are performed each Thursday .
Sears and her staff also work hard to make sure that the animal ’ s perspective home and family are a good fit for one another .
“ I don ’ t think every dog should go to any home ,” she said . “ I try to make sure whatever dog they adopt is going to be a right fit for the dog , so they don ’ t return the dog .”
There are a few things Sears would like perspective pet owners to consider . One is the amount of area that a given dog needs . For instance , if a family lives in town or in an apartment a large dog may not be suitable because they need more room to run and get exercise to keep their heart healthy .
“ If you live in a small place or a quiet place you don ’ t want a hunting dog that wants to explore ,” Sears said .
How a dog interacts with children , other dogs , even cats , is also a question that adopters should ask . Those who visit the animal shelter should also be aware that there is sometimes no way to know if the animal is housebroken or not , Sears said . Perspective pet parents should also have a plan for animal care if they are away .
Financial stability is also an important factor to consider .
“ They ’ re going to need flea and tick treatment monthly , especially in the summer months ,” Sears said , adding that rabies shots , heart worm prevention and parvo shots are long term cost factors that should be considered in addition to the everyday feeding and care of the dog . “ Accidents happen and you just want to be able to know that if something happened and you need to take the dog to the vet you can afford to do that .”
Sears also wants pet owners and adopters to understand the rules for claiming a dog that has gone missing from a home . If a dog goes missing , the owner should make a poster or flyer with a picture of the dog along with contact information and bring it to the animal shelter . While there , look through the shelter for their pet .
Once an animal has been in the care of the Pulaski County Animal Shelter for seven days the dog becomes property of the shelter and can be moved to an outof-town rescue .
“ A lot of people want to fuss about us if a lot of time has passed before they think to call us . There ’ s nothing we can do if the dog is gone ,” she said . “ We want you to get your dog back but we don ’ t have a lot of space .”
Sears and her team work hard to care for the animals while finding them safe and loving environments that might lead to a forever home for the pet .
Animals are adopted on a first-come , first-serve basis . If a perspective pet owner is looking for a certain size or breed of dog , Sears recommends calling the shelter at least once a week . Sears also has a tip
16 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky april 2023