National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

I was surfing the internet for inspiration when I found out that the first full week in November is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

A shelter is a haven, a place for second chances, a place for the friendless and abandoned. There are other types of animal holding and welfare organizations and this week is a good time to go over the differences.

Types of animal holding organizations:

Animal Control Facilities - Government-run agencies where stray and unwanted animals are collected in a central facility, held for a specified amount of time, then euthanized/destroyed. A dog pound is an example of this type of organization.

Rescue Organizations - Rescues may or may not have a central area for the animals they are holding. Many rescue organizations are run collectively by a group with foster homes for the animals. Most of their animals are obtained from animal control agencies. Breed-specific rescues only accept one breed and some of its high-content mixes. Rescues are non-profit, if documented, and usually operate on donations.

Sanctuaries - These accept animals that they intend to care for for the rest of the animal's life. Many of the animals they take in are unadoptable by the definitions used by other animal welfare organizations. They may or may not adopt any animals out at the discretion of the organization.

Open Door Shelters - An animal welfare organization that accepts any strays and owner turn-ins. There may or may not be a set holding period for the animal. There may or may not be a euthanization policy.

No-Kill Shelters - An organization that doesn't accept any and all animals because they intend to keep animals until they are adopted. In order to keep from killing any animals they limit their admissions to animals without any behavioral problems that require long-term rehabilitation or have health issues.

Lewis and Clark Humane Society is an open door shelter. Strays are brought in by the animal control officers and the Humane Society contracts with and receives money from the city and county. Owner turn-ins are accepted for a donation, regardless of what reason the owner may give. There is no set time frame for an animal to be held and we evaluate every animal that comes in for a good temperament and whether he/she needs behavioral rehabilitation.

We are asked all the time why the Lewis and Clark Humane society isn't a no-kill shelter. First of all, we believe that no-kill is a shell game whereby less adoptable animals are refused admission. All animals are welcome to our facility, and if we can work to make them adoptable then we keep them and work with them to get them ready to go into a home. Our adoption rate has been as high as 94%.

We are proud to be an animal shelter where all the homeless and unwanted animals can find a temporary resting place and a second chance. Please don't call us "The Pound" because we work hard to separate ourselves from the image of a "Pound".