Animal shelters are doing what they can to take care of their populations while closing their doors to the public and limiting volunteers. Employees are still allowed to care for animals as they're considered "essential" under Ohio's stay-at-home order.
At Clermont Animal Care Humane Society, staff spent Monday trying to get as many animals adopted or fostered as they could before the stay-at-home order went into effect. The staff performed "curbside" adoptions, speaking with people who remained in their cars.
Evans says the organization had also been doing adoptions by video chat.
As of noon on Monday, the shelter needed to place about 40 dogs.
Save The Animals Foundation (STAF) on Red Bank Road said as of March 21, it was doing dog adoptions by appointment only. The same was true at Animal Adoption Foundation in Butler County, where intakes are being considered on a case-by-case basis.
The Hamilton County SPCA closed to the public March 15 but is still placing animals in foster homes. Applications are being taken online and done by appointment. Adoptions are suspended.
While intake is suspended, people can still make appointments to pickup an animal that belongs to them.
A spokeswoman tells WVXU the shelter has seen a population increase since the pandemic began. Officers are still patrolling for strays.
Kenton County Animal Services in Kentucky suspended adoptions and is not taking in new animals. People who find animals are being directed to call the shelter to determine how to proceed.
Boone County Animal Shelter cut off public access last week but says people with animal concerns can still call.
In Campbell County, the county shelter says it's closed to the public until further notice.
"Staff will be on-call for emergency situations only," the shelter writes in a Facebook post. "The shelter will not be accepting owner relinquished animals during this time and will be doing re-claims by appointment only. An employee will be coming in each day to clean, feed and exercise the animals; however, they will not open the door for anyone."
In Indiana, PAWS of Dearborn County closed its doors to the public March 17, as did 2nd Chance Animal Rescue of Richmond, Indiana.
Donations
The SPCA says it is still accepting donations and believes those are allowed to continue under the order. Most shelters accept supply donations, though you should consult an agency's website for information on what services they're providing and types of donations being accepted.
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