The Lafayette Animal Shelter and Care Center has announced that 2021 marked the second year in a row that the shelter has maintained its no-kill status. With a coordinated effort and a tremendous amount of hard work, the shelter has maintained its status.

A no-kill shelter gets its designation when they are able to save more than 90% of animals' lives who came to be in the shelter.

Happy Fluffy Dog
Photo courtesy of joe-caione-qO-PIF84Vxg-unsplash
loading...

How Do They Help the Animals?

There are a variety of methods the organization uses to make sure they are helping as many animals as possible. Lafayette Animal Shelter works with many states where pet overpopulation is not a problem. Pets are sent out to these states for adoption and to find their fur-ever homes:

  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Idaho
  • Michigan
  • New Jersey
Cat Sleeping Under the Covers
Photo courtesy of kate-stone-matheson-uy5t-CJuIK4-unsplash
loading...

Another method that is used according to a press release from Lafayette Consolidated Government is that staff at LAFCC can counsel a pet owner before they surrender their animal. They do this in conjunction with only allowing appointments if someone wants to give up their pet. Staff members also advise anyone who finds a stray pet to get the word out via social media so that their owner might have a chance to reclaim them.

Cat
Photo courtesy of nora-hutton-c_00LQ7mMLk-unsplash
loading...

Did You Know Some People Can Adopt a Cat or Dog for Free?

If you are 65 and older you can adopt a cat or dog free of charge. The fees for adoption are also waved for military veterans.

Smiling Dog
Photo courtesy of hanson-lu-J5feaur-y6I-unsplash
loading...

Adoption of a Cat or Dog Is More Affordable Now

Back in 2017, the decision was made by LASCC to reduce the cost of adopting a cat or a dog. It used to cost $80 to adopt a cat, but now it's only going to cost you $25. It used to cost $100 to adopt a dog, but now the fee is only $35.

How Do They Control the Feral Cat Population?

In 2017, the ordinance was changed so that now feral cats are trapped in a humane way, they are neutered and then they are returned to their area. The only time an animal is euthanized is if the animal is aggressive or terminally ill.

Dog with a Thank You Card
Photo courtesy of howie-r-CjI_2QX7hvU-unsplash
loading...

Lafayette Animal Shelter Supervisor Shelley Delahoussaye says,

Not only did we maintain it(no-kill status), but we also reached an even higher percentage rate. We reached a 93 percent average, dogs and cats combined.

 

What Do You Do If You Would Like to Adopt a Pet?

You can visit their website by clicking here. It's also a very good idea to visit the "Before You Adopt" section of their website. There are many items of information there, but there are also some questions to ask yourself that you may not have considered.

 

More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL