Video matchmaking appointments utilized for the health of the animals, staff and community
***UPDATE, April 6th, 2020***
Cats are now available for adoption under the same video matchmaking appointment protocol as dogs!
Lawrence, KS March 28, 2020: Residents, businesses and non-profits in Douglas County continue to work to adjust to the current realities of COVID-19.
The Lawrence Humane Society (LHS) is implementing a temporary adoption process incorporating social distancing and video conferencing for the health and wellbeing of the animals, shelter staff and adopters.
“The community response to getting all of our available shelter pets into foster care has been overwhelming,” said LHS Executive Director, Shannon Wells. “But the goal of the Lawrence Humane Society is always to make forever love matches between the pets and the families in our community.”
With that in mind, LHS has developed a process to move dogs from foster care to forever homes in a safe and healthy way.
- Starting Saturday, March 28th all dogs in foster care, that are available for adoption, will be featured on the Best Friend Finder section of this website.
- Anyone interested in adopting a dog can sign up for a matchmaking appointment. Appointments can be made on the Best Friend Finder section of this site, or by calling the shelter at 785-843-6835.
- The matchmaking adoption counseling appointments will be held via video conferencing. A trained adoption counselor will match adopters with a recommended dog fitting the adopters’ wants and needs.
- Shelter staff will then coordinate a time and place for the adopter to pick up their new pet from its current foster parent.
- All recommendations from health officials for social distancing will be observed during the scheduled pet pickups.
“With so much uncertainty in all of our lives right now, adding a pet to your family to love on is a great way for people to get through these trying times,” Wells said. “And of course, each and everyone of these amazing dogs are anxiously awaiting a home to call their own. That’s why we have worked diligently to develop an adoption process getting pets into forever homes, while doing our part to flatten the curve and protect our animals, staff and adopters.”
The new adoption process currently only applies to dogs. Shelter staff is working hard to develop a similar plan for cats.
“Any animal lover knows there’s a big difference between dogs and cats,” Wells said. “Cats need more time to get comfortable in a new environment. Cats also don’t typically like traveling. And cats need to be transported in carriers that would need to be exchanged. But we are developing a plan right now to get cats adopted.”
Wells says LHS hopes to have an announcement on a temporary cat adoption process soon.
LHS remains open only by appointment. Volunteers are still being asked to stay home until the community is beyond the COVID-19 concerns. And all services, like low-cost spay and neuter and microchipping, have been temporarily suspended.
According to Wells, the shelter is currently well stocked on supplies. However, with revenue from adoptions and services at a virtual standstill for two weeks and counting, monetary donations are highly valued and appreciated.
You can make a donation to the Lawrence Humane Society by clicking here.
