{"id":806560,"date":"2020-04-19T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-19T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=381837"},"modified":"2020-04-20T07:48:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T13:48:22","slug":"summit-county-animal-shelter-sees-record-number-of-adoptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/summit-county-animal-shelter-sees-record-number-of-adoptions\/","title":{"rendered":"Summit County Animal Shelter sees record number of adoptions"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/AnimalShelterCOVID-SDN-041720-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption><strong>Garth Preuthun, a volunteer at the Summit County Animal Control and Shelter in Frisco, feeds treats to Stanford on Friday, April 17, 2020. The Summit County Animal Control and Shelter has seen an increase in adoptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/strong><br \/><em>Jason Connolly \/ jconnolly@summitdaily.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>FRISCO \u2014 As people are limited in ways to socialize in person due to the coronavirus pandemic, some have turned to other forms of companionship. Pet adoptions are increasing throughout the country with people\u2019s extended time at home, and Summit County is no different.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince COVID-19 started our adoptions obviously went way up,\u201d Lesley Hall, Summit County Animal Control and Shelter director, said. \u201cFor the month of March we adopted 50 animals. \u2026&nbsp;I\u2019m pretty sure 50 is a record.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For comparison, the shelter saw 39 total adoptions of dogs, cats and small mammals in February and 46 in January, which Hall thinks was the previous record. There were 33 adoptions in March 2019. Because of the spike, there were only six cats included in the shelter\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/local\/pet-scene-summit-countys-adoptable-pets-for-the-week-of-april-19-2020\/\">weekly listing<\/a> and as of&nbsp;Sunday afternoon, April 19,&nbsp;there were six \u2014 four cats and two dogs \u2014<strong> <\/strong>on the shelter\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/co-summitcounty2.civicplus.com\/877\/Animals-Available-for-Adoption\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On average, Hall estimates that the shelter houses around 15 dogs and at least 20 or so cats. Dogs have an average length of stay of 11 days while cats stay for about 15 days, though some of that is due to the timing of weekly&nbsp;veterinarian visits that occur before a pet can be adopted. The shelter has a capacity of 20 two-sided dog kennels, and Hall said they prefer not to double up on kennel space for cleaning purposes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\">\n<div class=\"row sd-donation sd-donation-mobile p-0\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/03\/SDN-logo-white-1.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/03\/SDN-logo-white-1.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/03\/sdn-banner-paypal.jpg)\" class=\"col-xl-8 p-3 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/donate\/?utm_source=article&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=donation&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=mid-article\">Donate<\/a><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The shelter is also leaving room in case there\u2019s a spike in COVID-19 cases and sick people need a place to drop off their animals if they don\u2019t have family members to look after them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTwenty (dogs) would be really full for us,\u201d Hall said. \u201cIf we went to 40 that would be very full.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As of now the shelter doesn\u2019t have to worry about reaching 40 dogs due to the increased demand. In early April a group of puppies got claimed from a Facebook post before they could be put on the shelter\u2019s site.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe got so much interest in them and so many applications that we didn\u2019t even put them on the web because we had more homes than we had puppies,\u201d Hall said.<\/p>\n<p>Of the&nbsp;six animals currently in the shelter, all but one was dropped off this April. An 8-year-old cat name Catalonia has been in the shelter since March 2019. Yet the coronavirus has led to a couple of animals who have stayed for a long period of time at the shelter getting adopted. In April a 4 year-old cat named Nutmeg, who has been there since June, and Tinkerbell, who arrived at the shelter in October, left to their new homes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"p402_hide\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/pets-SDN-041920-2.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-381945\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/pets-SDN-041920-2.jpg 348w, https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/pets-SDN-041920-2-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 348px) 100vw, 348px\"><figcaption><strong>Catalonia, who has been at the shelter since March of last year, is one of only a few animals remaining at the Summit County Animal Shelter. <\/strong><br \/><em>Courtesy Summit County Animal Shelter<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really nice when you see some of the old timers get a home finally,\u201d Hall said. \u201cThere is a home for every pet, it\u2019s just about finding the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most of the current animals are coming from out of state partners in areas such as Texas, New Mexico and Kansas, which usually amounts for about half the center\u2019s population. As Coloradans on the Front Range or nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/news\/huge-list-of-people-wanting-to-adopt-foster-dogs-in-eagle-county-during-coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eagle County adopt more<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i>, Hall isn\u2019t seeing any in-state transfers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe transports that they\u2019re allowing are if the shelter is closed and an emergency situation has arisen,\u201d Hall said. \u201cThese puppies came from Pampa, Texas, because they are closing their shelter and euthanizing dogs because of the closure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with more animals being adopted, the coronavirus has affected how the shelter handles daily operations. People are still prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis \u2014 with a small waitlist if someone changes their mind \u2014 but it is now by appointment only once an online application is filled out. Control officers are still making their normal patrols and staff are working remotely. The building is closed to walk-in volunteers.<\/p>\n<p>While a&nbsp;veterinarian still comes weekly to administer vaccines and microchips, the animals aren\u2019t being spayed and neutered like they normally would unless it is an emergency. Instead, adopters have to put $150 down and agree to have the pet spayed or neutered once the pandemic is over.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe figure $150 is a significant amount of money for most people and they will return for their deposit,\u201d Hall said. \u201cAnd Summit County is a great county for population control. Most people want their pets spayed and neutered. But for us since we\u2019re so used to it, it\u2019s a bit uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A tip that Hall has for first-time adopters is to be patient with their pet as they adjust to the new surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t set a super high expectation,\u201d Hall said. \u201cThis is all new to them. You\u2019re home is different than whatever previous home they\u2019ve been in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, the most important thing to keep in mind is that your new pet will likely be around longer than the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMake sure that you\u2019re going to have time for it,\u201d Hall said. \u201cNow is a great time to work on bonding and training for your pet, but realize that you\u2019re going to be going back to work here soon. This is a commitment for the lifetime of the pet. \u2026 Have a plan if the dog is still in a chewing stage or if the cat may get along with your other cat, only until you leave the room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/summit-county-animal-shelter-sees-record-number-of-adoptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Garth Preuthun, a volunteer at the Summit County Animal Control and Shelter in Frisco, feeds treats to Stanford on Friday, April 17, 2020. The Summit County Animal Control and Shelter has seen an increase in adoptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.Jason Connolly \/ jconnolly@summitdaily.com FRISCO \u2014 As people are limited in ways to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-806560","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-13 15:10:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSMT The Mountain","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=806560"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":806570,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806560\/revisions\/806570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=806560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=806560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=806560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}