Shelter gives advice on adopting pets

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Aaron McEachern, 2, reaches a hand into the cage at the Columbia Animal Shelter and lets out a gleeful shriek as the black cat’s tail brushes against his fingertips.

For Christmas, Aaron and his Northeast Richland family are getting a new puppy or kitten, said his mom, Belinda McEachern. “He loves animals.”

Each December, adoption rates at the Columbia shelter and around the nation pick up. At the Columbia shelter, for example, 94 dogs and 72 cats were adopted last December, compared with 88 dogs and 37 cats in March.

And while shelter officials are eager to send animals to good homes, they’re asking residents to think twice before adopting this year.
“There will be a handful of people who don’t give it much thought beyond, ‘Wouldn’t a puppy look cute under the Christmas tree?’” said Marli Drum, superintendent of Columbia Animal Services. “Some of those animals will end up back here at the shelter.”

And some will be euthanized. Each year, the Columbia shelter adopts out nearly 2,000 animals. But about 10,000 are euthanized because their owners request it or potential adoptees are too old, sick, aggressive or shy to be adopted.

Known as “cage crazy” in shelter circles, some healthy animals become aggressive or intensely shy when kept in cages at shelters for extended periods of time.

And when that happens, the chances of the animal being adopted plummets, Drum said, and euthanization is likely.
Instead, shelter officials want potential owners to take some of the steps the McEacherns have:

• Know what kind of pet suits your lifestyle. For example, a cat or small dog might be a better fit than a large dog for those who live in small apartments.
From experience with past dogs, the McEacherns know a smaller dog that is happy being inside most of the time is right for them.

• Research the breeds. Some dogs, such as popular border collies, are high-energy dogs and will not be a good fit for people who don’t spend a lot of time outdoors or don’t have time for long walks, Drum said.

• Consider the same issues with cats. If shedding will create a problem, go for a short-hair cat. Kittens are much more high-strung and energetic than mature cats, Drum said.

A 2000 expansion of the shelter doubled its square footage, making it easier for potential pet owners to see how good a fit an animal is.
In the shelter’s open bays, visitors can play with cats that are allowed to roam free.

Outside areas are available so potential pet owners can see how rambunctious their prospective pet is.

The areas also come in handy for visitors like Renee Hopkins of Columbia, who was searching for a dog at the shelter on a recent afternoon.

Hopkins wants to adopt a second dog as a Christmas present to her Lhasa apso, Zuri.
“(Zuri) is playful, and she needs another dog to play with,” Hopkins said.

Potential pet owners are encouraged to bring their dogs to the shelter and use the outside areas to see whether their dog gets along with the potential adoptee.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Drum said.

By Gina Smith