Author: Chris Luther, Pet Help and Special Ops Manager

Why should you try to rehome a pet before taking it to a shelter?

The Lynchburg Humane Society encourages and helps owners rehome their pets so they never have to set a paw in our center.  Our Center for Pets is very nice, but it can still be very stressful for pets and because of the unknown background of the pets at our center, illnesses can spread and pets can get sick.  Stress also increases the likelihood of illness..  Rehoming is better for the pets, and it also saves lives.  You see, if we can divert pets from entering the shelter and have them go right from one home to another, we are able to help more pets, pets that don’t have owners and are at risk for euthanasia at other shelters.

Lynchburg Humane Society’s Rehoming Program

How do we help someone rehome their pet and avoid the shelter?  First, we talk with the owner to see if there is anything we can do or provide so that they can keep their pet.  If that’s not possible, we gather information about the pet, we market them on our social media and our website and we provide information to the owner on how they can help find their pet a safe, loving home.  We check up with the owner to see if there is anything we can do to help, and get updates on their progress.  Keep in mind, we will always take a pet in instead of asking the owner to rehome, if the pet or a person is at risk or in danger.

It is important for us not to judge anyone when they have to rehome their pets.  This is typically an emotional situation for the person, and they are just trying to do what is right for the pet.  It’s not up to us to judge someone who is looking for help for their pet or their family.  

Learn more about our program

There are so many benefits to rehoming a pet rather than bringing them into a shelter.  But the bottom line is –  rehoming saves lives.  

To learn more about our rehoming process, visit our Pet Resource Center on our website at https://lynchburghumane.org/services/pet-resource-center/

Author: Amber Cabell, Director of Operations

What to do when you find a cat.

Did you know that only about 3% of cats brought to shelters are reunited with their families? It is more likely that a cat will be reunited with its owners if left alone.   In fact, most of the cats that you see outside are not in need of intervention and should be left where they are. Whether they are friendly neighborhood cats or unsocialized community cats, they are likely to have a caretaker or owner nearby that is providing care for them. 

Friendly neighborhood cats most likely have owners in the neighborhood that allow them to roam outside. These cats may wander off to hunt, play, and socialize with other neighborhood cats and people, but almost always return home when they are done. If you are concerned that you may have found a lost cat, the bottom line is that it is just not likely to be returned to their home if brought to a shelter and are, in fact, 13 times more likely to find their home using alternative methods such as utilizing methods that can be found on our lost and found pets page

What is a community cat?

Unsocialized community cats, also known as feral cats, typically have members of the community that provide them with food and help keep an eye on them. These cats live full, healthy and happy lives in their outdoor homes. They have lived the majority of their lives outside and are naturally skilled to find resources such as food and shelter on their own. Studies show that cats that have not been socialized by the time they are 4 months old are less likely to become socialized afterwards. Bringing these cats to a shelter, bringing them indoors, or relocating their outdoor home can be detrimental to their physical and behavioral health. Removing them from the environment they know can cause extreme levels of stress making them more susceptible to illness and more likely to exhibit unwanted behaviors such as hissing, swatting and, in some cases, even biting!  

The most humane solution for unsocialized community cats is Trap-Neuter-Return or, TNR for short. There are many resources in our area to help provide TNR services for unaltered cats in your community and our Spay Neuter Clinic offers lost cost spay/neuter for TNR services.

We will always take in found cats that are sick or injured, needing medical care and kittens found in the City of Lynchburg. 

As we draw further into kitten season, all shelters will become overflowing with cats and kittens. Having a community that understands why we do not take in stray cats and supports our mission allows us to focus our lifesaving efforts on those that truly need saving: the cats and kittens that are sick or injured, neonate kittens and cats and kittens at risk of euthanasia at other shelters. 

To learn more about LHS policy on taking in stray cats and what to do if you’ve found one, please visit our website at https://lynchburghumane.org/i-found-an-adult-cat-now-what/

Author: Senior Manager of Operations, Amber Cabell

Did you know residents in the City of Lynchburg are required by city ordinance to obtain a license for all dogs aged 4 months and older?

And did you know that you are able to purchase a city license for your dog(s) at Lynchburg Humane Society? You can simply swing by the Center for Pets anytime during our normal hours of operation and let us know that you would like to purchase a city license for your dog and you will receive your tag the same day. All you need to have is proof of your dog’s current rabies vaccination and the fee for the tag. Fees for Lynchburg City licenses are:

One year unaltered Female or Male Dog – $10

One year neutered Male or Spayed Female Dog – $5

Lifetime license is now available – $15

Duplicate License – $1

What if your dog doesn’t have a current rabies vaccination? LHS also offers rabies vaccines for the low cost of $15! To schedule an appointment, simply email us at [email protected]. 

You can find more information or request to have a city tag mailed to you by scanning this QR code

Barn Cats available for Adoption

Working cats, also known as barn cats, are cats that prefer to have an independent life from human friends. They would much rather be the guardian of a shop or a barn than be a house cat for a family. At LHS we have many of these cats available for adoption! 

A few working cats available for adoption at LHS:

All our working cats can be found on our website with a “working cat” attribute on their profiles. Many of them also live in the Porch Room on the adoption hallway so you can come by and visit them any time. 

Lynchburg Humane Society and Lynchburg Animal Control Partnership

The Lynchburg Humane Society, a nonprofit 501c3 organization, has partnered with the City of Lynchburg for several decades.  Animal Control is a part of the Lynchburg Police Department.  LHS has no authority over Animal Control, however, we have a wonderful relationship with them.  They help lost pets get to LHS safely, and then we care for them.  They will also bring us pets that are neglected, abandoned, are taken from their home due to cruelty, or are deemed to be a danger to the public.  

While we are not the same organization as Animal Control or the Lynchburg Police Department, we understand how important they are in our City and to the Lynchburg Humane Society.  There are often complaints that no one will pick up a lost pet during the evenings or weekends.  That is because Animal Control does not work in the evenings or weekends, and the Lynchburg Police Department is busy tending to the community’s safety concerns.  But many times, the Lynchburg Police Department does pick up pets during those off hours.  Especially if they are sick, injured or a public safety concern.

Stay in the “know”!

We think it is important to educate the public about how the Lynchburg Humane Society, Animal Control and the Lynchburg Police Department work together, but are separate entities.  We are thankful for the positive partnership we have with Animal Control – our City is fortunate to have such wonderful officers that work in partnership with us.

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