“Lots of people talk to animals. Not very many listen, though. That’s the problem.”

– Benjamin Hoff

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Hopefully, the accompanying photos tell the story of the dogs and cats at The Wetzel County Animal Shelter who are in desperate need of a loving home.

The shelter is at its maximum capacity of dogs now. Many of these animals have already struggled with difficult and abusive pasts that have ended in abandonment. Sadly, if these animals are not adopted, placed in foster homes, or put into other cooperating rescue shelters, they will be euthanized. Although the shelter tries very hard to avoid this at all costs, 17 dogs were euthanized last year, whereas 25 cats were euthanized. These numbers are out of 314 dogs that were taken in and 119 cats that were taken in.

The animal shelter is appreciative of those who can even offer a foster home for their pets. As their Facebook page – Wetzel County Animal Shelter – states, “If you can foster, that would save two lives . . . the one you foster and one more who needs a place in our shelter.”

If one is unable to help through adoption or as a foster home, volunteers are still needed for walking and playing with the dogs and cats; daily animal care, including cleaning and feeding; general maintenance and improvements to the shelter; driving animals to the vet; and by participating in fund raisers, including the Mutt Strut in October and the auction in November.

Please keep in mind price of a cat adoption varies per cat and is based on the vetting provided or required. The price to adopt a male dog is $175 while a female dog costs $200 to adopt. Covered in the fee are the five-way vaccination and wormer, the bordatello vaccine, rabies vaccine, alteration, heart worm, lyme, erlichia testing, and additional vet care.

Any interested persons must fill out an application prior to adoption; this application must be reviewed and approved. A contract is signed upon adoption. If the animals are not altered upon adoption, the new owner must have them spayed or neutered by a certain date. A $50 deposit is required, which will be returned upon completion of alteration. A dog tag must be purchased at the time of adoption if the dog is six months of age or older.

The shelter is always in need of dry dog food (Pedigree, if possible), dry cat food, cat litter (clay), bleach, dryer sheets, detergent, paper towels, and large garbage bags. Monetary donations are tax deductible through the shelter’s 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed to do fund raising for the shelter. Please make checks out to “WCASS, Inc.” (Wetzel County Animal Shelter Supporters, Inc.)

Pets are listed and pictured weekly in the Wetzel Chronicle and the Green Tab. And, of course they can all be seen on the shelter’s website at www.wetzelpets.petfinder.com. The Wetzel County Animal Shelter is expected to be outside of the New Martinsville Wal-Mart this Saturday, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. They will have some of their animals there, and will also be accepting donations.

So call the shelter at 304- 455-5348 and give a dog or cat a chance at a happy life, for as a popular quote says: “Saving one animal won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal.”