Forty furry friends have been waiting 40 days or more at the Lawrence Humane Society, hoping to find their families. An adoption special this weekend aims to make that happen.
During the humane society’s 40 for $40 special — a play on ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary series — all adult animals (cats and dogs ages 6 months and older) who have been available for adoption for 40 days or more will have their adoption fees reduced to $40. Fees are usually $150 for dogs and $60 for cats.
The special starts at noon Friday (Feb. 3) and runs through 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5.
“And as always, all of the animals will already be spayed and neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped at time of the adoption, which is a huge cost savings,” Elina Alterman, a spokesperson for the humane society, said via email. “Plus, dogs will go home with a free Lawrence Humane branded leash!”
Nine cats and 31 dogs are included in the special, “which is heartbreaking since that means that all 40 of these animals have been available for adoption for over 40 days, waiting for someone to take them home,” Alterman said.
She said animal shelters nationwide are seeing a trend of lower adoption rates for dogs. Adoption rates significantly but artificially increased when the pandemic hit, and then fell. Cat adoption rates have gone back up to pre-pandemic levels, but dogs’ rates have stayed the same, Alterman said.
“So dogs are just sitting at animal shelters, taking longer than ever before to get adopted,” she said. “However, that hasn’t precluded animals from coming into shelters and needing a safe place to land. On any given day, Lawrence Humane can receive as many as 5 stray dogs coming in, and we’re really struggling for kennel space.”
The dogs range in age from 8 months to 8 years, and cats range from 2 to 12 years, she said.
“So many of them are dog-friendly, cat-friendly, and kiddo-friendly! And some of them would prefer to be the only animal in the house or live only with older kids or some other variation of family life,” Alterman said. “Suffice it to say, there’s something for everyone!”
Meet a few of the furry 40 (bios and photos courtesy of the Lawrence Humane Society):
Kenzo: Kenzo, pictured above, has been waiting for a home the longest of all the cats! Kenzo is friendly with dogs, cats, and kiddos! He enjoys pets from humans, but prefers to snuggle with the other cats and dogs. He is diabetic, but that is easily managed with insulin. Kenzo loves treats, toys on a string, and sleeping in his favorite old chair. He’s 10 years old which is a perfect age because he’s past the frenetic kitten stage, but still has lots of life left to live!
Fraulein: Fraulein is a gorgeous 2 year old pup who was brought in as a stray, but never reclaimed by an owner. She is friendly with humans and dogs and is sooo smart! She quickly learns commands and is eager to please. Fraulein has been working on her leash skills, so she is a treat to take for a walk!
Charlie: Charlie is a sweet 2 year old boxer mix who is just a little shy at first. He can take a little while to warm up, but as we all know, sometimes the best things in life are things that take a little time and a little effort. Charlie is friendly with dogs and has lived with a cat before, who he was also friendly with! And once he warms up to someone, he’s happy and sociable, with the funniest personality!
Moose: Moose is the bounciest, happiest 1.5 year old boy! He was brought in as a stray and never reclaimed. He is as dog friendly as they come and loves to play with anyone and everyone he meets. Moose was in foster care, which allowed us to learn a lot about what he’s like in a home and he is just a dream. He entertains himself most of the day by throwing toys to himself and watching squirrels through the window. He’s crate trained and knows all kinds of commands. Most of all, he’s a snuggly lap dog who has no idea how big he is, like most gentle giants!
Brave: Brave is a stunning 2 year old cat who knows what he wants and when he wants it. Brave isn’t afraid to let you know when he would like some attention by meowing and purring directly at you. And he also lets you know when you’ve satisfied his desire for attention and when he’s ready to be done. He loves pets in short quantities (a little bit goes a long way, you know?) and he is all about the treats!
“We’ll also be featuring other animals who are part of this special every day on our social media channels, so we hope that folks follow us to learn more about some of these incredible animals who have been waiting an inordinate amount of time for a home through no fault of their own,” Alterman said. “Or better yet, we hope that folks just come in and ask to meet an animal!”
The adoption special includes animals who are at Lawrence Humane and those who are in foster care, Alterman said, so if there’s an animal in foster care that a potential adopter is interested in, adoption counselors will have the foster bring the animal to Lawrence Humane at a time that works for both the foster and the potential adopter so that the potential adopter can meet the animal in person.
The Lawrence Humane Society, 1805 E. 19th St., is open for adoptions from noon to 5 p.m. daily. No appointments are necessary. Learn more and get a sneak peek at more pets looking for homes on the humane society’s website, lawrencehumane.org.
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