Upstate shelter offers resources for owners

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Each year, 20,000 cats and dogs end up at an Upstate shelter.

Greenville County Animal Care is working to lower that number.

“At the end of the day, our goal is to keep families and pets together,” Community Relations Coordinator, Paula Church said.

Church said the safest place for an animal is in their home.

“People shouldn’t have to give up their pets because they lack resources,” Church said, “That’s when we realized that’s the direction we need to move in as a shelter, as an industry.”

Greenville County Animal Care said housing, financial concerns, and behavioral problems are the most common reasons people surrender pets.

“We ask them, would you be willing to keep your pet if we can help,” Church said.

If their answer is yes, the Pet Support Center offers behavioral training, assistance with vet bills, and free pet food, among other services.

“We probably help at least 100 people to 200 people a month with food,” Case Manager, Kaycey Adair said.

When pet parents have no other option, Animal Care helps rehome pets with the Home to Home program.

“This is a way for us to help people find new homes for their pet, without them having to come into the shelter,” Adair said.

Protentional new owners can browse through pictures and information. Adoptions through the Home to Home program include up-top-date vaccinations and free spay or neuter.

“We helped find homes for over 700 pets through our Home to Home website. I think we only took in under 70 owner surrenders out of the pets that were posted on there last year,” Adair said.

Animal Care also provides microchipping for all animals adopted through the Home to Home program or from the shelter.

“There’s a real movement across the country to save lives, as many lives as possible, in the hopes of becoming a no kill nation, and this is how we do it. We work together and find great solutions for the animals that are left homeless,” Church said.

Find out more about Animal Care.

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