Pet of the Week puts a spotlight on a furry friend who is available for adoption at the Lawrence Humane Society at the time of the article’s publication. According to ASPCA, dog adoption numbers are down nationwide, which adds additional strain on shelters that are already struggling to accommodate high volumes of animals. Lawrence Humane is no exception.
Through Pet of the Week, readers can learn about a pup before they visit the shelter. The featured furball is selected by shelter staff members, who provide all details on the animal’s personality and history.
Sarah, a 1-year-old female pit bull, is prone to jumping in her shelter kennel and “can get the kind of air that would make Coach Self think about recruiting her,” according to shelter staff. But this behavior is not indicative of her true personality.
“While of course the shelter staff love, care for, and do all we can to ensure the happiness and well-being of the animals in our care, the shelter is still a loud, scary, chaotic environment that will cause some dogs to act out or shut down in ways that are not truly indicative of who they are or their personalities once they leave our building,” Elina Alterman wrote in an email. Alterman is the LHS director of development and communications.
Such is the case for Sarah, who was picked up as a stray and has been at the shelter for three months. Her kennel stunts are an expression of frustration, but her personality does a 180 when she’s out on Mass Street Mutt outings.
Sarah’s MSM humans have described her as “amazing, very calm, gentle, sweet, chill, quiet, and curious,” and recommend taking her to an outdoor patio for a laid-back afternoon.
She is excellent on a leash, excited to meet new friends and does exceptionally well with children. Her treat-motivated nature also lends to quick learning.
The word’s still out on how Sarah handles other dogs and cats, so if a potential adopter already has a canine pal, LHS will ask them to collaborate with their behavior team to ascertain fit.
Like the good girl she is, Sarah is spayed, microchipped and up-to-date on all vaccines. She is currently available for fostering or adoption for $25. Those who want to take her on an MSM outing can sign up here.
Past pup update
Athena Bambina, who kicked off our Pet of the Week spotlight series, was adopted by “a super sweet family who fell in love with her” this weekend, according to the shelter.
Last week’s pooch, Marley, is still looking for his forever home. LHS is currently running an adoption special where dogs over 25 pounds, like Marley, have $25 adoption fees. “All of the adoptable dogs are spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccinations, are microchipped, and come with a starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet food,” according to LHS.
Those interested in adopting Sarah can email the Lawrence Humane Society’s adoptions team at adoptions@lawrencehumane.org or call 785-843-6835. Folks who want to foster Sarah can sign up here.
People can also go straight to the shelter at 1805 E. 19th St. to meet her. The Humane Society is open to potential adopters from noon to 6 p.m. every day.
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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at wulfe@lawrencekstimes.com.
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
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