Help Out A Pet In Need!
By Anastasia Mavrakis
Photos and captions courtesy of: Nicole Carrillo
(Both dogs available for adoption at the Heritage Humane Society)
Originally published in Dog Street Journal's December "DoGcember" 2019 issue.
Leia is a sweet senior dog at 13 years old, but she has tons of pep to her step! She loves to go on walks, be petted, or just hang out with people. She would make a fantastic addition to any family!
Farrah is a lovely 3-year-old terrier mix who loves to play, run around in a big backyard, and go on hikes. She is looking for an active family to adopt her and bring her along on all of their adventures!
This holiday season, it’s important to think about all of our furry friends, including those who have yet to find a forever home. Over 7.6 million animals enter shelters yearly in the United
States. We are fortunate enough here in Williamsburg to have an animal shelter right around the corner: the Heritage Humane Society! The shelter is an excellent resource for pet-care
information and could always use a helping hand.
The Heritage Humane Society is a local, independent, open-entry shelter that receives over 93% of its funding through private donations. It’s located on 430 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA. The Heritage Humane Society does not receive funding from the United
States Humane Society or the ASPCA. By holding local donations, they emphasize helping abandoned animals find their way to new homes safely in the city.
Their mission is as follows:“Heritage Humane Society (HHS) serves as compassionate stewards of homeless pets that are in transition from stray/surrender to forever homes. We serve to educate the public about humane animal care and treatment, advocate animal welfare, and provide affordable adoption and spay/neuter services. In 2018, a total of 1845 lives were saved through HHS.”
This being said, the question remains: how can you, or any student at the College do your part to help?
Adoption is a huge commitment and many college students cannot afford to adopt a pet. However, if you do know someone who is looking for a new fluffy companion in their lives and has the means to care for a new pet, recommend the Heritage Humane Society! Cats, dogs, and other small animals are posted daily to their website www.heritagehumane.org, with plenty of information about each individual pet. If you are planning on adopting, it is highly encouraged to take the time to meet your future pet and get to know them before you seal the deal.
If you can’t adopt but are still looking to help the shelter in some way: fret not! There are other options for animal-lovers to help out.
One would be to participate in the Heritage Humane Society’s foster program—which alone saves over 500 lives a year. The foster program is available to residents near the shelter and allows foster parents to provide a temporary home for cats, dogs, and small animals. Typically the foster animals stay from 2 weeks to about 3 months with a given family, based on the type of care needed. There are a variety of reasons why pets are placed into foster care. They may be too young, they may be sick or injured, or they may need to be trained or socialized. HHS also uses the foster program as an opportunity to help open up kennel space so more pets can be brought in from other surrounding shelters.
So, if you love the idea of having a companion to take care of for a short period of time and have adequate resources to do it, try out the HHS Foster Program.
Finals are quickly approaching, but when time frees up next semester, what better way to spend your hours between or after classes than volunteering with HHS and making a difference in the lives of these animals? HHS is always looking for new volunteers.After applying and undergoing a short orientation training, you are able to join the team and work
to make the shelter run smoothly. Plus, you get plenty of time caring for adorable animals.
Lastly, if the time commitment is too great in all of the other options, consider donating or hosting fundraisers where the proceeds will go to the Heritage Humane Society. No donation
is too small and every single one makes a difference—whether it’s a monetary gift or new chew toys for the pups to enjoy! Furthermore, the HHS is always hosting events, such as adoption meet-n-greets and even a weekly radio show all about animals! So your support can
be expressed in a myriad of ways.
As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to remember that animals are not gifts and are a huge commitment. If you are ready to have a pet in your life, consider looking to HHS or any local shelter before visiting a breeder. Remember: adopt, don’t shop!