Richie Rich and 56 other pets found happiness this week!
We all know Richie Rich as the spoiled boy who has it all. That is, all but friends.
Our Richie Rich had SOO many friends here at LHS that loved to snuggle and cuddle him any chance they got, as he patiently waited for a family to come and adopt him. Richie Rich is a lap-loving, shoulder-perching, loud-purring, long-bodied love bug!
Luckily Richie didn’t have to wait too long for a family to come and fall in love with him. He was adopted over the weekend and is now living the life of luxury with his new family.
We want to say thank you to his adopters and to Petco Love for making adoptions like this possible.
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.
Independent gal, Norma and 44 other pets found happiness!
Norma, Norma, Norma.
This independent, beautiful girl came into our care June of last year. She was considered one of our working cats, you know the kind, just wants a place to sleep and eat but never be touched. She stayed in our porch room hiding away from all human interaction. Though everyone thought she was pretty, she would never give them a chance to get close.
One of our staff members reached out to a friend who has lots of farmland and told her about Norma’s year of not really enjoying life being cooped up. That friend then said, “I’ll come and adopt her.” Just like that Norma was, surprisingly, happily put into a carrier and taken to her new home. She now lives on a farm, where she gets to spend her days laying in the sun and chasing off rabbits from the garden.
We want to say thank you to her adopter, for giving her a life she has dreamed of and to Petco Love for making adoptions like this possible.
Author: Amber Cabell, Senior Manager 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 bottomline 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 filling out a Found Pet Form, having the cat scanned for a microchip, going door to door in your community, and posting lost pet flyers in your neighborhood, on social media, and on lost pet websites.
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!
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 at risk of euthanasia at other shelters.
Reunions and happy endings, 50 Pets found Happiness this weekend including two amazing stories!
Written by: Laura Murphy and Sydnee Tran
Renegade
Staff members at LHS create many special bonds with the pets that come in and out of our doors every day. Personally, this has happened to me before, but there is one dog that 100% stole my heart and was always on my mind. Renegade. As devastating as it was for me, the timing just was not right for me to add Renegade to my family. Saturday, the day came for Renegade to start his new life with the perfect family. I was super nervous- given his apprehension of strangers- sad, excited and happy all at the same time for Renegade.
The family brought their dog, who according to them looked very similar to our boy Renegade which is what drew them to come in and meet him. In conversation they mentioned they had adopted their dog from LHS about a year ago. I asked what her name was at LHS and they said ”Sahara”. Renegade’s brothers and sisters were all named after models of Jeeps. THIS WAS HIS SISTER!!! Instantly I knew this was where Renny was meant to be and how this was supposed to play out.
Tears were shed and I felt lost not being to have our trail walk today, but I could not be any happier for my sweet and goofy boy. Congratulations to Renny, his sister and their family. Thank you to Petco Love for bringing dreams like this to life!
Tommy and Angelica
We’d like to celebrate two very special adoptions today. Some time ago, 3 very sick puppies arrived at our Center with a severe case of Parvo. Their names were Tommy, Angelica, and Tyson. Parvovirus is a relentless and unforgiving illness, and while we did everything in our power to treat, care for and save all three pups, Tyson’s condition was too advanced, and he didn’t make it.
Despite the heartbreak, our medical team put all of their efforts into Tommy and Angelica and it paid off!! They made a FULL recovery, and lots of new friends along the way!
While beginning of their LHS residency was sorrowful, the end of their stay is worth celebrating!! We are happy to report that Tommy went home last week with amazing new parents, and Angelica went home with a new Husky brother and Maltese sister!
We couldn’t be more excited for this special pair as we’ve grown very attached to them. We know Tyson is looking down with a warm heart, smiling at his siblings’ newfound happiness!
Pets that were adopted May 23rd-29th.
Cats that were adopted:
Adam, Bingley, Blanco, Chicory, Elizabeth, Farfalle, Flamingo, Frost, Gene Osborne, Glory, Igloo, Jane, Jason Falls, John DeHeer, Kelly, Koa, Mango, McKinley, Mike McGrath, Nettle, Phoebe, Posh Spice, Quinn, Rein, Rigatoni, Sid, Snowball, Star City, and Tundra.
Dogs that were adopted:
Addie, Angelica, Axel, Buddy, C.J, Donkey, Fiona, Frederick, Kanga, Patrick, Perdita, Prince Charming, Renegade, Scooter, Shrek, Spork, Vanessa, and Wilbur.