Did you know? How Important Volunteers are at LHS.

Posted on March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 by Claire LeFew

Author: Events and Volunteer Coordinator, Ashley Douglas

How do volunteers help at the Lynchburg Humane Society?

Volunteers play an important role in the day to day here at the Center for Pets. They help out each department with small tasks that make a big difference. It is a huge weight lifted off of staff knowing we have volunteers to support us in caring for the pets. Just last year our volunteers donated over 7,200 hours to help us at the Center for Pets and Spay Neuter Clinic.

What can an animal shelter volunteer help with?

There’s a long list of things that a volunteer can do to make a difference! For example volunteers can help our Pet Care team with keeping things neat and organized. Whether that be with helping with morning cleaning, or pitching in in our laundry room.

Volunteers are also able to help out our Foster team and our Medical/Clinic teams! During kitten season our Foster and Medical team can always use the extra hands in making sure those little ones are getting weighed daily while waiting to go into foster care.

Other departments that are always happy to have the volunteer help are; Administration, Adoptions, and Pet Help.

Need some pet love? Volunteers get to spend time with our furry friends as well! We have cat socialization as well as a dog walking program! Get all the cuddles in from the four legged friends while also providing them with enrichment activities.

How do you get involved volunteering at the Lynchburg Humane Society?

Anyone interested in volunteering can apply here. There are three different types of volunteers, make sure to pick the one that best applies to you. You can also email [email protected] with any volunteer questions.

Did you know? What a microchip is and why they are so important.

Posted on March 21, 2023February 28, 2025 by Claire LeFew

Author: Medical Manager, Becca Erdle

What is a pet microchip?

A microchip is a tiny piece of technology that carries a unique identification number. It is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted with a needle under a pet’s skin, permanently. Each chip is registered with an online database where owners link their contact information as well as their pet’s attributes.

Why should I microchip my dog or cat?

When a lost pet is found, it can be taken to a veterinary office or animal shelter where the pet’s body is scanned for a microchip. When one is present, the number appears on the scanner and is searched within the online database. The provided contact information is then used to reunite the pet with its owner! Having your pet microchipped greatly increases the chances of relocating them if ever lost. Keep in mind that every LHS pet receives a microchip prior to adoption, so join us! Microchipping allows our community to boost the likelihood of reunification between lost pets and their families.

How do I get my pet microchipped?

Most veterinary offices offer microchipping services and so does the Lynchburg Humane Society! The procedure is quick and provides peace of mind knowing your pet has a permanent form of identification. You can make your microchip appointment at our clinic here.

Once your pet has a microchip, remember to update your contact information regularly. Without up-to-date contact information, a microchip cannot serve its vital purpose.

As added protection, you can register your pet with Petco Love Lost! Petco Love Lost uses pet facial recognition software to match lost pet photos with found pet photos to reunite pets with their families nation wide. Sign up for free on their website.

Did you know? We offer pet low-cost cremation services.

Posted on March 7, 2023June 5, 2025 by Jill Mollohan

The Lynchburg Humane Society offers affordable end-of-life euthanasia and cremation services.

Talking about death is difficult and uncomfortable. Our pets are part of our families and saying goodbye to them is one of the hardest things to do. During this emotional time, the last thing you want to do is think about the cost of end-of-life services or wonder where you will need to go for these services.

Our cremation services are performed right here at the Lynchburg Humane Society Center for Pets in Lynchburg, Virginia. Knowing your beloved pet is not taken to another facility for cremation is something we believe is a comforting factor in this sad process.

Visit our End-of-Life page on our website for more information.

At the Center for Pets, we are here for you and your pet. <3

Did you know? Utility Bills are Among one of the Highest Expenses for the Lynchburg Humane Society

Posted on February 28, 2023February 28, 2023 by Jill Mollohan

A look into the utility bills of the Lynchburg Humane Society

Not an exciting topic, but very timely because we all have been feeling costs rising lately. I have heard many people are especially concerned with their electricity bills increasing. Probably just like you at your home, our utilities are among one of the highest expenses for us. We are an efficient organization, but it takes a lot to care for hundreds of pets everyday. Each year we spend around $100,000 on our utilities.

The highest of the utilities is our electricity, then gas, and then water. Electricity usage includes our lights, computers and everything else that we use in the shelter that is plugged into a wall, and part of our HVAC system is electric (part is gas). Our electricity bill averages about $5,600 per month.

The main things we use gas for are a portion of our HVAC system, hot water heating, and our crematory (yes, we have an onsite crematory and we offer low-cost pet end-of-life and cremation services – but that is another “Did You Know” Blog for another day). Our gas bill is usually around $1,700 per month.

Of course, as you might have imagined, we use a lot of water, making sure each pet has drinking water, doing dozens of loads of laundry each day, cleaning and sanitizing our kennels, cages, and rooms. Our water bill typically runs about $1,000 per month.

So yeah, this isn’t a pull at your heart strings, pet story kind of blog, but we think it is important for our supporters and the public to understand the impact of the costs of operating a lifesaving facility like ours even if it isn’t often considered part of lifesaving, but without the water, gas, and electricity – we could not operate and save the thousands of lives we save each year.

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Did you know? What is Kitten Season.

Posted on February 8, 2023February 8, 2023 by Claire LeFew

What Kitten Season is and how you can help.

Author: Community Pet Coordinator, Miranda Ward

Kitten season is known as the time that unfixed cats are most likely to have kittens. Kitten season is typically between March and October. Cats can have litters any time of year, but in the warm months, the number of kittens born alarmingly increases. Cats are very prolific creatures; they reach sexual maturity as young as 4-5 months, have an average of 3-8 kittens per litter, and can have between 2-5 litters per season.

One unfixed female cat can have more than 100 kittens in her lifetime, and assuming that half of those kittens born are females, she and her offspring can go on to have upwards of 300-400 kittens in 7 years. Multiply this by the hundreds of community cats in the area, and that number grows exponentially. The fact of the matter is that there are not enough homes to care for all of the kittens born each year, which is why we want you to know how you can help prevent unwanted litters, and support the litters that are born each year.

How to help Animal Shelters During Kitten Season

The great news is that we have tons of contacts, resources, and programs to help combat this issue. Here’s how to help!

Spay and neuter your pets. The cost to get your LHS pet spayed or neutered is included in our adoption fees! If you have a pet that isn’t an LHS Alum and you’re looking for a low cost option, our Spay/Neuter Clinic is a fantastic choice! Click here for information about the services offered by our Spay/Neuter Clinic.

Consider donating to support the cost of care for our kittens! For those interested in making a monetary donation, visit our donation page! Here, you can peruse options for donating such as our Community Cat Fix program which helps subsidize the cost of the thousands of spays and neuters of community cats performed at our Spay/Neuter Clinic, as well as our Shelter Medicine program, which supports the care of every pet who comes through our doors.

Support TNR programs! TNR stands for Trap, Neuter, Release. Dozens of volunteers all over our community find colonies of unfixed outdoor cats and work with local vets and clinics to perform low-cost spays and neuters, treat and vaccinate, and release the pets back into their colonies where they are happiest. If you have a cat colony you would like help with, consider contacting Stray Cat TNR at (434) 515-0456, or visit Central Virginia Regional Rescue’s TNR Assistance page here!

Beware of kitten napping. Mother cats move their litters frequently in order to keep them safe. When kittens are very young, their best chances of survival are with mom. If you find kittens alone, give them some space and wait awhile! Mom may be in the process of moving the litter, searching for food, or she may be hiding from you. If the kittens are in unsafe places like parking lots, drainage ditches, or under vehicles, or mom hasn’t returned after several hours, make sure they’re warm, and then reach out to your local shelter or rescue group for help. That may be us, or if you live in a different county, it may be one of our neighboring organizations!

Become a foster! The LHS Center for Pets has a bustling foster program ready to support the several hundreds of kittens we get each year. We provide all supplies free of charge to our fosters and are ready to teach new families how to become Kitten Warriors! From sick orphan bottle babies to healthy, plump kittens with a mom, all our underage babies need foster care. We are always searching for the best match based on our pets needs and our foster families’ preferences and abilities, so we always have the kitten for you! No experience is needed; we have a community of Coordinators and other fosters ready to help you! If you’re ready to become part of this life-saving mission, apply here!