Shelter ready for foster parents

STAFFORD — A 6-year-old tri-colored beagle named Missy is one of many critters at Stafford Animal Shelter that could benefit from a foster program that's now expanding.

Donna Hart, the shelter's manager, said that although the facility has had a foster program in the past, the shelter is working on formalizing itself through applications and a more organized format that seeks to grow, thereby assisting the animals in becoming adopted.

The economy is one issue that factors into whether or not people choose to adopt, Hart said, but she's hoping people will at least consider fostering animals, because it will help the shelter when too many animals are housed at the facility.

In the summer, for example, cats especially are abundant in the shelters, she said.
Kittens and puppies are usually able to find homes, but older animals need families, too.
Hart said she wants people to know that the shelter is a nice place with many sweet animals to adopt.

Thornburg resident Carol Dominy, who lived in Stafford for 30 years and is still a proponent for community causes, wrote a letter to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors in August regarding $10 million needed to expand the county's animal shelter.

Dominy said the money set for the shelter, which should be in the Capital Improvement Plan, keeps getting cut. Support is needed from county residents who may not realize what's at stake, she noted.

The shelter can hold 28 cats and seven kittens, 44 dogs and 20-24 puppies, Hart said.
The shelter also has 22 dog runs.

The animal shelter has also started a newsletter that Hart hopes to have on its website; copies are also at the shelter and on an e-mail list, she said, and could eventually be in pet stores and local animal  hospitals.

The newsletter includes good news adoption stories and articles.

When asked about the possibility of society's ultimately eliminating euthanasia altogether, Hart said: "I'd like to think something can be done."

She stressed the importance of people spaying/neutering their animals and noted that obtaining animals from a shelter, pound or SPCA is preferred over a puppy mill or breeder who makes a business out of dogs.

Adopting, after all, is a commitment to the animal.

"To me if you have animals, you're committed [to them] for life," she said.

For more information on fostering or adopting an animal, visit co.stafford.va.us and select Adopt an Animal on the drop-down menu. The shelter is located at 473 Eskimo Hill Road in Stafford. The shelter’s phone number is (540) 658-7387.

Tracy Bell is managing editor of the Stafford County Sun. Reach her at tbell@insidenova.com.