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Columbus-Lowndes County Humane Society announced its facilities are at capacity in a Friday Facebook post, prompting the shelter to host a special adoption event in an effort to get more dogs and cats into homes.
For the rest of August, the adoption fees for dogs and cats from the shelter are discounted to $70 and $25, respectively, for qualified applicants.
Sightings of lost dogs and cats in the Columbus area have raised questions regarding what locals should do if they find lost or injured animals.
What should you do if you find a lost domesticated animal? What about if it is a wild animal?
What should be done if a lost domesticated animal is found?
Columbus, Starkville and West Point each have animal control offices that act as the first point of contact when it comes to animal-related issues.
These offices coordinate with local Humane Society branches and animal shelters to hold lost dogs, cats or other domesticated animals for a five-day waiting period while trying to reconnect them with owners or to rehome them, as outlined by city ordinances in Columbus, West Point and Starkville.
Starkville Animal Control Officer Mercedes Reed, said depending on the situation, those who want help with a lost dog or cat should call animal control and either stay with the animal or attempt to contain the animal themselves to bring it to the shelter.
“Many people just put it back on the leash,” Reed told The Dispatch. “They enclose it in their backyard, keep it in a safe place, especially if you’re around traffic or other vehicles, until law enforcement can get there.”
If outside of hours for animal control, Starkville Police Department can be contacted instead to assist, Reed said.
In Columbus, animal control typically handles calls regarding lost or injured animals, dropping off domesticated ones at the Columbus-Lowndes County Humane Society, shelter manager Trudy McDanell told The Dispatch.
“If they find lost animals, they’re technically supposed to bring them to us, and we will hold them for a five-day legal period, and then they become available (for adoption),” McDanell said. “… We highly recommend that folks bring (a domesticated animal) in (to) keep it safe overnight. Sometimes bring it in as soon as possible.”
When the shelter is at capacity as it is now, McDanell said the Humane Society still accepts animals, finding a way to make room for them at the shelter.
“When we have an influx of animals we do not turn them away because we are an open shelter,” McDanell said. “We do make room even if we have to double up on certain animals.”
When West Point-Clay County Animal Shelter nears capacity, office manager Jessie Jones said some animals are transferred to rescue partners in northern states like New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Illinois.
What do you do if you find injured wildlife?
Like many other shelters, Jones said West-Point Clay County Animal Shelter isn’t allowed to handle wildlife.
“Our animal control officer is certified in certain wildlife animals, I think, but anything raccoon related, or anything like that, goes directly to him,” she said. “It never comes to us.”
When dealing with wildlife, McDanell said it’s best to contact animal control or a nearby rehabilitator directly.
While locals can help with containing smaller wildlife, like injured birds and squirrels, it’s generally best to stay away, especially if the animal is something larger than a raccoon or a skunk and wait for animal control, Reed said.
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks encourages anyone looking to place an injured animal with a wildlife rehabilitator to contact the Jackson office at (601) 432-2199 for contacts. Animal Help Now also offers a wildlife assistance locator on its website that can help track down nearby rehabilitators, according to MDWFP.
What are other ways to help animals locally?
One of the best ways pet owners can help local animal shelters is by ensuring that their pets are spayed and neutered, McDanell said.
“Even if you’re the best pet owner, your dog is updated on all of its shots, goes to the vet multiple times a year … if they’re not spayed and neutered, you have to take care of your side of the street,” Jones said. “Because then somebody else’s unneutered dog or unspayed female can come over, and that just creates a problem.”
Additional ways locals can help is by educating themselves on animal care, becoming a foster for dogs or cats or making a call to animal control when an animal is spotted in the area, McDanell said.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
