SPARTANBURG HUMANE SOCIETY INC

OUR FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT WOULD BE OUR STEADFAST ENDEAVOR TO KEEP OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE BETWEEN 99% - 100% ANNUALLY. IN 2011, OUR LIVE RELEASE RATE WAS LESS THAN 10%, SO WITH HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY, STRONG DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION BY OUR STAFF, AND OUR BOARD STANDING FIRMLY BEHIND US, WE HAVE MADE DRASTIC CHANGES. THESE INCLUDE OUR INTAKE MEDICAL PROCEDURES, STRENGTHENED OUR VETERINARY TRAINING FOR THE ENTIRE STAFF, AND ESTABLISHED A CULTURE OF CARING THAT REQUIRES EVERYONE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN EVERY ANIMAL IN OUR BUILDING. WE KEEP A RATHER LONG WAITING LIST TO ENTER OUR FACILITY BECAUSE WE DO NOT EUTHANIZE FOR SPACE. BUT UNLIKE MOST SHELTERS IN THE COUNTRY, WE REMAIN AN OPEN ADMISSION FACILITY FOR ALL ANIMALS - YOUNG, OLD, SICK AND HEALTHY. WE NEVER DISCRIMINATE AGAINST BREED, AGE OR HEALTH CONDITIONS.

OUR NEXT GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS OUR COMMITTMENT TO ADOPTING HEALTHY ANIMALS INTO OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE TREATING DOGS WHO ARE HEARTWORM POSITIVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER INTAKE IN ORDER TO BEGIN THEIR "NEW" LIVES HEALTHY AND READY FOR PERMANENT HOMES. HEARTWORM DISEASE IS DEADLY AND IS CAUSED BY A SINGLE MOSQUITO BITE TO AN UNPROTECTED DOG. TRADITIONALLY, HEARTWORM POSITIVE DOGS ARE EUTHANIZED IN MOST SHELTERS BECAUSE OF EXPENSE, AND THEY WERE EUTHANIZED AT THE SPARTANBURG HUMANE SOCIETY IN THE PAST. BUT NOW WE ARE TESTING THEM IMMEDIATELY AND STARTING EVERY DOG THAT ENTERS THE SHELTER ON PREVENTION AND SCHEDULING THEM FOR TREATMENT WHEN NECESSARY, BUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BOTH OF THESE MEASURES ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE BUT CRITICAL TO THE LIFE OF THE ANIMALS, SO WE JUST HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO RAISE THE MONEY CONTINUALLY SINCE OUR COMMUNITY HAS NOT FULLY BOUGHT INTO HEARTWORM PREVENTION. WE HAVE ALSO INCREASED THE LEVEL OF PREVENTATIVE MEDICATIONS FOR SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM RESULTS FOR ALL ANIMALS THAT ENTER THE SHELTER. WE HAVE INSTITUTED AN ADDITIONAL STEP IN THE VETERINARY CARE FOR EACH ANIMAL TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS RECEIVED THE CORRECT CORE VACCINES AND PREVENTION EVEN WHEN WE ARE AT FULL CAPACITY. WE TEST ALL CATS FOR BOTH FELINE AIDS AND FELINE LEUKEMIA, SO WE ARE ABLE TO LET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE CATS THEY ARE CONSIDERING FOR ADOPTION. WE ARE 100% COMMITTED TO PUTTING HEALTHY, HAPPY ANIMALS INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ILLNESSES, WE WANT TO FULLY PREPARE POTENTIAL ADOPTERS FOR THE CONTINUED CARE THAT THEY WILL NEED. ALL ANIMALS LEAVE OUR FACILITY FULLY VACCINATED UP TO THEIR AGE, MICROCHIPPED, SPAYED/NEUTERED, AND WITH SIX MONTHS OF HEARTWORM PREVENTION. OUR GOAL IS TO START THESE ANIMALS OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT IN THEIR NEW HOME.