CJ Extra: Helping Hands Humane Society Encourages People to Continue Adopting Animals – News – The Hutchinson News

Although the procedures put in place to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus have been stressful for many people, they are not the only ones for which this is true. Helping Hands Humane Society recently changed its operating methods due to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and safety of its resident pets and the community.

Emi Griess, communications coordinator at Helping Hands, answered questions about these protocol changes and explained how the community can help the shelter.

Has Helping Hands changed any of its procedures since the coronavirus made its way to Kansas?

We have suspended many volunteer activities, in particular group activities. We have stopped the agility open on weekends (although our public training courses are still scheduled because they are small classes of less than 10 people) and we are not planning visits or birthday parties at the moment . From Thursday March 19, we will also move by appointment only to see / adopt pets until the end of March (we will reassess in early April). Those who need to buy something in the gift shop can call to be admitted to the building during normal adoption hours (Monday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) . Otherwise, our front adoption zone will be closed to the general public in order to limit the number of people in the building.

Have upcoming events been canceled or postponed?

We have canceled, postponed or created virtual events over the next eight weeks that would include 50 or more people. Purrs & Paws Baby Shower (now virtual Saturday March 21 from noon to 4 p.m.), Tag Day (was April 4, postponed until a little later this year), and Paws in the Park (was April 25, postponed to some time later) year).

How has the virus and social distancing affected adoptions and donations to the shelter?

We didn’t see any effect on adoptions until Sunday, March 15, the date when adoptions declined (even though they went down to 11 adoptions on March 17). We haven’t seen an effect on donations yet, but we anticipate that we will, so let’s do some virtual fundraising.

Could you give a bit of the history of Helping Hands and its mission?

On May 4, 1938, the Shawnee County Humane Society was certified as a non-profit organization. A small group of dedicated people used their own car to collect animals, their own yard to house them and their own money to pay for food. In 1963, the Company housed 2,700 dogs per year. In December 1963, the Society indicated that it could house the city’s impounded dogs at any cost that the city would pay. The city settled with $ 50 a month. In 1965, the shelter legally changed its name from the Shawnee County Humane Society to the Helping Hands Humane Society. Its objective was not only to serve Topeka and the county of Shawnee, but also a wider regional area. On January 8, 2013, the Helping Hands Humane Society moved from 2625 N.W. Rochester Road to 5720 S.W. 21st St.

How can people get involved and help the shelter?

If you are interested in placement, please contact us. We still need encouragement, but most of all we may need foster families in the coming weeks. We also have some activities that children and families can do at home, such as making enrichment items and toys that can be given to animals, sharing information about adoptable animals to help them find their home, deep cleaning your home and donating items you don’t need from us (towels, blankets, old newspapers, etc.), shop online using Amazon Smile (www.smile.amazon.com ) and select HHHS as a charity, and disseminate educational information on neutering and neutering, taking training classes with your dog if you are dealing with unwanted behaviors, and other animal rescue measures.

What items are most needed by the shelter and its residents?

Monetary donations and gift cards are the most useful gifts for us so that we can continue to buy vital supplies and needs may change during this pandemic. Gift cards to Walmart, Target, Amazon, PetSmart and Petco are greatly appreciated. We also need cleaning products (hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, disinfectant wipes, bleach tablets, paper towels, sponges) and agglomerated and odor-controlled cat litter (kitten season is coming).

Does Helping Hands offer services such as a microchip?

Yes. The public can microchip their pets for $ 40 in our admissions department. If someone has a cat adopted by HHHS, they can have a microchip for $ 10 in admissions. Please call to make an appointment for this. We also offer public training courses that range from basic obedience to agility for anyone who has problems with unwanted behavior at home or wants to bond with their dog and do something fun. A tired and trained dog is a well behaved and happy dog.

Where can I find more information on Helping Hands?

Our website www.hhhstopeka.org and our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hhhstopeka are the best places to get information and updates.

What are the hours of operation?

Our opening hours are as follows:

Adoptions: 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Entrance: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

However, for the moment, we will proceed with adoptions by appointment only. Please call us at 785-233-7325 if you wish to make an appointment to see the animals and possibly adopt one.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Here are some other ways the community can help HHHS:

1. Make sure you have an emergency plan in place for your pets in case you need to be quarantined or hospitalized for a while. This includes family or friends who may temporarily care for your pet, an emergency kit with your pet’s basic needs such as food / medication / records / instructions / toy / crate favorite, and make sure your pet is up to date on vaccinations.

2. Reach out to family, friends and neighbors who have pets if you are ready to be an emergency pet contact.

3. If you know someone at higher risk of becoming very sick with COVID-19, check them to see if they need supplies or assistance for them or their pets – those among them. we who are less at risk can go shopping for essentials and leave groceries outside the doors of our friends and neighbors.

The more pets that can be taken care of by community members and that do not have to go through the doors of HHHS, the better for everyone. Families will have more peace of mind, these animals will be more comfortable and will not be exposed to germs or the stress of life in a shelter, and our population here may remain smaller, which helps all animals here to stay healthier.