Athens County Humane Society
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List of website contents (in order of appearance):
Who We Are
Our Mission Statement: The Athens County Humane Society is committed to promoting better care and compassion for animals, providing permanent homes with responsible caregivers for our companion animals, and reducing abandonment and euthanasia of healthy, friendly animals by providing spay and neuter assistance and education.
The Athens County Humane Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
We are a 100% volunteer organization. We support our programs through fundraising, donations and memberships; we do not receive government funding.
The services we provide include:
- lower-cost spay or neuter options and financial assistance with spay/neuter
- pediatric/early spay and neuter options (spay and neutering of animals as young as 8 weeks of age)
- foster care for homeless animals (dogs and cats)
- adoption services
- help with locating rescues to take in animals we cannot
- organic catnip for sale
- a “lost and found” list
Athens County Humane Society
PO Box 765
Athens, OH 45701
phone: 740.592.6047 [Note: this is a voicemail-only system; you must leave a message for us to contact you]
email: info@athenshumane.org
We do not have a shelter-the former Cat Shelter closed November 2005.
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Want to have some animals spayed/neutered?
Register and prepay at a registration session. This reserves an appointment for your animal at the next available spay/neuter clinic. All people are invited to register their animals; however, financial assistance is available only to Athens Co. residents who qualify based on low-income guidelines (see "Step 2" for details).
Our next registration/prepay sessions (CASH only--no checks) are:
Date: Will be early August. Check back later for updates
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
Bring the correct payment & paperwork with you to the registration session.
For Athens Co. residents receiving financial assistance
the prices are as follows:
| Animal |
1st |
each additional |
| DOG |
$30 |
$15 |
| CAT |
$15 |
$10 |
For example, if you have 1 dog and 2 cats, bring $30 for the first dog and $20 for the 2 cats (at $10 each).
**Along with the cash payment above, Athens Co. residents receiving financial help MUST ALSO bring the following 3 items:
A) a PHOTOCOPY of proof of assistance through ONE of the eight government programs or tax return (see list below) that we can keep for our records.
Proof of assistance includes any of the following:
- a 2007 tax return showing family income does not exceed 150% of federal poverty guidelines
- a section 8 housing voucher
- Ohio Medicaid Card
- letter from VBA acknowledging service-related disability
- schedule letter from Ohio Works First
- Ohio Direction Card
- WIC card
- Benefit letter documenting Supplemental Security Income
- Benefit letter documenting Social Security Disability.
Bring a copy of documentation that we can keep .
B) A valid driver's license or photo ID. The name (NOT PO Box) needs to be the same as the person whose documents are being submitted as proof of low-income. The address needs to be a street address in Athens County.
C) Has your cat/dog been rabies vaccinated?: If your cat or dog is current on their rabies vaccine, bring a copy of the rabies certificate (NOT tag) to the registration session so that you cat/dog will not be unnecessarily vaccinated at the clinic.
For those not receiving financial assistance
, prices are as follow:
| CAT |
Price* |
| Spay |
47 |
| Neuter |
37 |
| Dog Weight |
Neuter cost* (male) |
Spay cost* (female) |
| under 20 lbs |
42 |
52 |
| 20-40 lbs |
47 |
57 |
| 40-60 lbs |
52 |
62 |
| 60-80 lbs |
62 |
72 |
| 80-100 lbs |
72 |
82 |
*The clinics require rabies vaccines be updated if not current. If your cat/dog does not have a current rabies vaccine, the clinic will automatically vaccinate the animal at a cost of $7 for the vaccine. If your cat or dog is current on their rabies vaccine, bring a copy of the rabies certificate (NOT tag) to the registration session.
In the morning, bring your animal(s) to the clinic you have been scheduled for. Pick up your spayed/neutered pet in the afternoon/evening.
Our current clinic schedule is as follows:
| Clinic Date |
Availability |
Location |
| Saturday, July 26 |
Athens Co. residents who qualify for financial assistance / CATS ONLY |
University Mall, Athens |
| Thursday, August 14 |
cats and dogs under 30 lbs |
TBA |
| Sunday, Sept. 21 |
all cats and dogs |
TBA |
| Saturday, Oct. 25 |
all cats and dogs |
TBA |
Enjoy life knowing that your dog/cat will live a longer, healthier life, a life without the stress of finding homes for kittens/puppies, and happiness knowing that you have helped your community by being a responsible pet owner.
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Since Jan 26, 2008, 314 animals from our community have been spayed/neutered at mobile clinics hosted by the Athens County Humane Society!
Spay/Neuter Summary for May 31, 2008
29 clients served; 15 clients subsidized for spay/neuter with total of 27 animals subsidized (63% of animals subsidized by ACHS); ACHS provided $1,000 in financial assistance
TOTAL ANIMALS:
43 spayed/neutered + 5 other appts = 58 animals
cat neuters = 13
cat spays = 15
dog neuters = 5
dog spays = 10
Spay/Neuter Summary for May 15, 2008
30 clients served; 28 clients subsidized for spay/neuter with total of 55 animals subsidized (96% of animals subsidized by ACHS); ACHS provided $1,832 in financial assistance
TOTAL ANIMALS:
54 spayed/neutered + 3 other appts = 57 animals
cat neuters = 14
cat spays = 31
dog neuters = 3
dog spays = 6
How do we provide financial assistance for spay/neuter?
From YOU--the people who care enough about the animals of Athens County so that cats and dogs could be spayed and neutered who most likely wouldn't have been otherwise.
If you haven't donated to the Athens County Humane Society Spay/Neuter Fund, please consider to do so today!! Help us to continue providing this much needed assistance to the animals of our community!
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Adoption should not be an impulsive decision. Before you adopt, consider carefully how ready you are for a life-long commitment--whether that commitment be a few years (rat, hamster), 8-20 years (cat, dog, rabbit or parakeet), or over 40 years (parrot, turtle, donkey).
Before you adopt, ask yourself these questions:
1. Have I realistically assessed how much time I have available to take care of an animal and its needs?
2. Do I have the time and resources available to care for the
particular type of animal I am considering and have I researched the time required?
3. Am I willing to sacrifice personal time each day (there are no
"days off" in animal care) for animal care duties, such as cage cleaning,
exercising, waste removal, feeding, etc.?
4. How will the addition of an animal affect me and the lives of those I live with (people or other animals)?
5. Can I afford the monthly care costs of the animal I am considering adopting [annual cost for a dog: $420-780, depending on size; annual cost for a cat: $575 (source: ASPCA pet care costs comparison
)?
6. Can I afford emergency care costs?
7. Can I foresee life changes (getting married, moving, having children) that may affect my ability to keep the animal?
8. Should anything happen that would make me unable to take
care of the animal, do I have a backup plan?
Adopting a friend
So, you've decided you're ready and excited about the responsibility of taking care of a new family member?
We have two different adoption programs as a result of trying to assist the community with animals we do not have space for in foster care. For animals listed as available through Community Outreach see then next section. For animals that are in our foster care system, see "To adopt an ACHS animal". below.
Community Outreach:
Community Outreach animals are those that belong to members of our community and who need new homes. The animals stay with their caregivers until they are adopted and most adoptions are done at the caregivers' homes. Many of these animals are those that have been taken in as strays, are the offspring of cats/dogs which weren't spayed in time, or those whose caregivers had a change in living situation and so the animals need a new home.
The general adoption procedure is that you respond thoughtfully to a short questionnaire (see below) and from there we try to find a good match for your family. If you do adopt and if the animal is unspayed/unneutered at adoption time, then upon adoption you will be required to give us a spay/neuter deposit and have the animal spayed/neutered within a specified time period. If the animal has been spayed/neutered prior to adoption and the ACHS covered the cost for the animal to be spayed/neutered, then we ask for an adoption donation upon adoption so that we can continue having the animals spayed/neutered prior to adoption. The ACHS may provide other veterinary care for the animals at no additional cost to the adopter (parasite treatment, cats being tested for FeLV and/or FIV, vaccines, etc.)--Try to find a better deal elsewhere!
If you are interested in adopting an animal that is offered through the Community Outreach program, please copy and paste the following questionnaire in an email to info@athenshumane.org.
| Community Outreach Adoption Questionnaire |
Your name:
Address:
Phone number:
Landlord's name and contact information:
- How many people (adults and children) are living at the residence and who will be the person responsible for taking care of this cat/dog?
- Are you at least 18 years of age?
- Have you, or anyone living in your household, ever been convicted of or pled guilty to a crime against animals?
- Do you own or rent your residence? If you rent, have you checked that cats/dogs are allowed per your lease agreement and that you have paid any required pet deposits?
- Are you prepared for the start-up financial costs with adopting a cat or dog (vet visits for vaccines and parasite treatment, spay/neuter, dog registration, collar, leash, litter box and scratching post for cats, toys, carrier, etc. = AT LEAST $300)?
- Are you financially prepared for the cost of care of a cat or dog over its lifetime (about $500 each year)?
- Would this animal be spayed/neutered if not already done? If no, please explain.
- Are you prepared to be responsible for the life of this cat or dog—its safety, health, care, and happiness and the time commitment involved to provide for those essentials—for the rest of its life (the next 15 years or so)?
- If you move, where will the cat/dog go?
- Where will the cat/dog be during the day? Where will the cat/dog be during the night? (e.g., in a crate, in the house, in a kennel, free to roam outside, fenced-in yard, tie-out, etc.)
- On average, how long will the animal be left alone each day?
- What other pets do you have? How long have you had them? Are they spayed/neutered and vaccinated? [Note: if currently there are no other animals in the home, list the animals you've had in the past 3 years and where they are now]
- If animal is a cat: Do you plan to declaw this cat?
- If animal is a dog: How do you plan to let out/exercise the dog?
- What are you looking for in a cat/dog? (e.g., companionship for another animal or family member, showing, breeding, service animal, guarding property, exercise partner, etc.)
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To adopt an ACHS animal:
1) Request an adoption questionnaire by phone or e-mail.
2) Fill out the questionnaire and return it. This lets us get to know you and what you're looking for in a companion.
3) After we receive your questionnaire we will review it and contact you.
4) Meet your next best friend.
5) If your family and the dog or cat are a good match in personality and lifestyle, then proceed with the adoption process which involves a contract and an adoption fee.
*A home visit may be a part of the adoption process.
The adoption fee for all dogs is $100 and includes a heartworm test, vaccinations, heartworm, flea and other parasite treatment, and spay or neuter.
The adoption fee for adult cats (6 mos. or older) is $50. Kitten adoption fees are $70 for a female and $60 for a male. Cats and kittens are tested, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and treated for fleas and parasites. Special adoption fee for adopting two kittens or two cats together.
ACHS also has a special adoption fee if you adopt an animal over four years old and a special price for seniors adopting adult animals-ask us for details if you are interested.
Also, any cat adopted from us, regardless of age, cannot be declawed which is part of our contract. We do sometimes have adoptable cats who were declawed when they arrived. The Humane Society of the United States does not support the declawing of cats and 24 countries have banned the procedure (See: HSUS's policy). The ASPCA also opposes declawing (See: ASPCA position statement). Alternatives to declawing exist, such as training, providing a scratching post, trimming claws, and using claw covers (See Humane alternatives/training)
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If you do not see the exact cat or dog you are looking for, we probably have a match on our contact list. Let us know what you are looking for.
Watch one of these informative videos about bringing your new cat or dog home, introducing your cat or dogs to other animals and family members, your cat or dog's health and nutrition, and other training tips such as housebreaking, teaching manners and obedience training.
We know that in Athens County there are areas with large numbers of cats living outdoors--many of these cats are fearful of people. AlleyCat Allies is an organization who focuses on the issue of feral cat colonies. You can learn more about feral cat colonies and how to deal with them by going here: Alley Cat Allies
Then you can contact us to find out how you can help--or get helped--locally.
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How to help us--Volunteers and Donations
As a 100% volunteer-run organization we always welcome new volunteers. E-mail us to see how you can help. We need people to help with fundraising, spay/neuter clinics, and other Humane Society programs. We always need foster homes; you would provide a temporary home for an animals while they are searching for their forever homes.
Join a Committee!
You can join one of our committees. Membership Committee deals with issues pertaining to increasing membership, communicating with members, creating the newsletter, donations, and the election process. Education Committee works to provide information to the community about responsible pet ownership and humane animal issues. Fundraising Committee organizes events and other programs to help raise funds to support ACHS programs so that we can assist more animals in our community.
The Humane Society is always in need of:
animal crates or carriers (large and small), cat-sized humane traps (to trap feral/wild cats to be spayed/neutered), copy paper, paper towels (for use at spay/neuter clinics), puppy pads (as cage liners during clinics), books about dog or cat care or training (or any other pet care books), and monetary donations.
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Membership
Why become a member?
o Support an organization dedicated to its mission of improving the quality of life for companion animals in our community
o Vote in the annual election for the Officers and Directors of the Board
o Become eligible for election onto the Board of Officers and Directors
o Receive the ACHS newsletter—learn about our activities, pet care and other animal issues
Membership Terms defined
o Junior-for supporters age 17 and younger, one year term, no voting privileges--$5
o Individual-for supporters 18 and over, one year term, voting privileges--$25
o Family-a special rate for all members in one household, one year term, those members 18 and over have voting privileges--$40
o Senior-for supporters age 65 and over, one year term, voting privileges--$10
o Life-for supporters 18 and over, lifetime term, voting privileges--$200
o Business-your business can support us for one year, non-voting--$100
What are membership dues used for?
o Providing low-cost spay and neuter options for the community
o Caring for animals in foster and satellite locations
o Office expenses (paperwork for adoptions and spay/neuter clinics, phone line, newsletter, etc.)
Email or call if you are interested in receiving a membership form.
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HONORARY MEMBERS The Athens County Humane Society would like to recognize community members who are responsible for some conspicuous act of mercy to animals or who provide or have provided outstanding aid or volunteer work for animal welfare for the ACHS.
Please help us acknowledge deserving citizens by nominating them. Send a letter describing how the nominee has aided animals in our community. The ACHS Board will then vote to recognize up to four Honorary Members for the year based on the nomination letters. Send nomination letters to PO Box 765, Athens 45701. *Please include contact info for the nominee so we may contact them.
MUSIC VIDEOS
A cat's point of view: Help! Cat music video
There's none too few in the country, too!: Too many kitties!
New take on TV classic: The Matey Bunch
Adopt your next best friend-Don't buy while others die!: Take a look at me now
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