Spartanburg Humane Society Inc

THE MISSION OF THE SPARTANBURG HUMANE SOCIETY IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE TO LOST AND UNWANTED PETS WHILE RAISING COMMUNITY AWARENESS ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING COMPANION ANIMALS.

OUR FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE OUR STEADFAST ENDEAVOR TO KEEP OUR LIVE-RELEASE RATE AT 99% TO 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 IN 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 WHERE WE TAKE IN ALL ANIMALS - YOUNG, OLD, SICK, HEALTHY, AND NEVER DISCRIMINATE AGAINST BREED, AGE OR HEALTH CONDITIONS.

OUR NEXT GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS OUR COMMITMENT 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 THEIR NEW 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 ALSO 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 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, AND LET'S FACE IT, WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE MOSQUITO. 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 (6) MONTHS OF HEARTWORM PREVENTION. OUR GOAL IS TO START THESE ANIMALS OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT IN THEIR NEW HOME.

OUR THIRD CORE ACCOMPLISHMENT IS OUR STRONG EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. WE KNOW OUR FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF PETS IN OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS UPON THE STRONG KNOWLEDGE OF OUR FUTURE PET PARENTS. WE HAVE CREATED A JR. VET PROGRAM TO BROADEN THE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR HEALTHY AND HAPPY PETS. WE ARE TEACHING THEM HOW TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, HOW TO IDENTIFY PARASITES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL PREVENTIONS THAT HELP TO KEEP OUR PETS HEALTHY AND LEAD LONG LIVES. STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO CALCULATE MEDICATIONS BASED ON WEIGHT; THEY LEARN HOW TO STITCH WOUNDS WITH REAL SUTURE AND BANANAS; THEY LEARN HOW TO DRAW BLOOD (IN A VERY CREATIVE WAY WITHOUT A NEEDLE); AND THEY LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY USE A MICROSCOPE TO IDENTIFY PARASITES IN FECAL MATTER. WE WANT ALL STUDENTS TO GO HOME AND QUERY THEIR PARENTS ABOUT CURRENT VACCINES, ANNUAL HEARTWORM TESTS AND MONTHLY HEARTWORM AND FLEA PREVENTIONS. WE KNOW OUR YOUNG MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE FUTURE OF PET PARENTING.