Adopt a pet and save a life. You can do both at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter.
By Michael Breedlove Photo by J. Sinclair
Melanie Pringle hasn?t always loved dogs. In fact, it was only a few years ago that she was somewhat terrified of the tail-waggers. ?I really didn?t want anything to do with dogs,? she says with a laugh. ?Quite honestly, they scared me. But over time, something shifted?I realized they weren?t so scary after all.?
Now, in addition to being a dog owner, Pringle serves as the senior office assistant at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter, where she interacts with dozens of dogs daily. (And cats, bunnies, ferrets?even the occasional rat.) While much of her time is spent answering emails and completing paperwork, she says adoptions are her favorite part of the job. ?Everyone loves a happy ending,? she says. ?And as sappy as it sounds, you?re saving a life when you adopt a pet.?
With June doubling as National Pet Adoption Month, we sat down with Pringle to talk Pet Adoption 101.
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First off, how does the adoption process typically work?
People usually start by browsing the adoptable pets on our website. You?ll then need to come into the shelter and visit with the pets, to get a feel for personality and temperament. You?ll fill out an application, which you can do here or download online and bring with you. To have your application approved, your current pets have to be licensed and have current rabies vaccines. Also, all pets adopted must be spayed/neutered.
How much does it cost to adopt?
It?s $102 for dogs and $84 for cats. Some people think that?s steep, but the cost is highly subsidized considering all that?s included. Each animal is given a medical exam, dewormed, screened for heartworms/FIV, spayed/neutered, vaccinated against rabies (and other common diseases), microchipped, and licensed. To do all that on your own, it?d cost much, much more. As a bonus, we also offer a free four-week training program for all dog adoptions?it?s called the Stay Together program.
What are some things to consider before you adopt?
Time is the biggest thing. Do you honestly have enough time for a pet? Dogs require a lot of affection and, in some cases, a lot of exercise. I walk my dog three times a day, and it?s still not enough. You?re investing in these pets for much of their lifetime, anywhere from 2 to 15 years, so you need to make sure they fit into your lifestyle. There?s also the financial burden. Pets have basic needs?food, shots, vet visits?but there are also emergency situations. There are other factors you have to consider, too?kids, other pets, living arrangements, allergies.
Is there any sort of return policy?
You?re welcome to return a dog or cat within 60 days for a full refund. Most of the time, it?s the time commitment that gets people. Other times, it?s that the pet is too high-energy. So again, it?s important to stop and think before jumping into a decision. In some cases, we can do an exchange; a dog for a dog, cat for a cat.
What are the benefits of adopting an adult dog/cat?
This hits close to home for me, because I adopted an adult dog from here. She was 2 when I got her and already house-trained, so a lot of the grunt work was done. Everyone wants a puppy, but with older dogs, you usually know their personalities and full-grown size?what you see is basically what you get. They?ve already gone through the destructive puppy stage and are often house-broken. With puppies [and kittens], you really have to expect the unexpected.
Why is spaying/neutering so important?
Pet overpopulation is a real problem in this country. Millions of animals are euthanized unnecessarily each year, including here in Forsyth County. (The shelter gets upward of 8,000 animals a year, and only about 1,400 of those get adopted.) So spaying and neutering lowers those numbers, and it also helps the community by keeping tax costs down. But for most people, the biggest benefit is that it helps their pets live longer and healthier lives, and it stabilizes their personalities. It also makes male pets less aggressive and less inclined to roam.
We?ve been hearing a lot about Project Pearl. What is it exactly?
Project Pearl is a newly established nonprofit group that works exclusively with our animal shelter. It all started last year with this little dog named Pearl. She had some skin issues and wasn?t the prettiest dog, but she was so sweet?one of those ?bless her heart? dogs (laughs). But because of her looks, we were having a hard time getting her adopted. So one day a volunteer photographer took a more flattering photo. And within 24 hours, she got adopted.
So that?s how it started. The whole premise is to have professional photographers donate their time and take photos of our adoptable pets. They also ?dress? the pets up?the girls get pearls, jewelry, scarves; the boys will get ties or hats?stuff like that. And because of social media and other media attention, it?s just been a huge success. (You can visit Project Pearl?s Facebook page for more info).
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The Animal Shelter is at 5570 Sturmer Park Circle off Shattalon Drive. For more on hours, adoptions, volunteering, and other programs, call 336-703-DOGS or go to www.forsyth.cc/animalcontrol.
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