Organization offers adoptions, a mobile clinic and more to community
COSHOCTON – The COVID-19 pandemic had led to many challenges for the Coshocton County Humane Society in its mission to take care of and find homes for animals, mainly cats.
Rachel Selders of the organization said they were able to remain open and do adoptions during the height of the pandemic. This led to adoption numbers being up as other outlets were closed. However, with veterinarians shuttered, they couldn’t do surgeries or perform other medical needs. Meaning they were running out of vetted cats to adopt.
Selders said they expanded their foster to adopt program, where people would keep the feline until it could be vetted and proceed with adoption from there. She said that didn’t cover many cats as the humane society is already very heavily foster based with volunteers keeping cats in their homes.
“Typically, the very first thing we do when we bring them in is take them to the vet,” Selders said. “We could not get them vetted.”
The humane society uses the traveling Rascal Clinic from Columbus for spaying and neutering, which also stopped during the pandemic height. They come once a month on Thursdays, but it’s not always the same Thursday of the month. The next low-cost clinic will be Sept. 10 at Tractor Supply Co. This just isn’t for animals through the humane society, but also for pet owners in the community.
The humane society has a space in the back of Tractor Supply with cats for adoption. They currently have about 25 there with society members fostering close to 50 more. Occasionally they get dogs, with Selders currently fostering a 12-year-old dog named Clyde. They also conduct a trap-neuter-release (TNR) program on feral cats and feed colonies of those cats. They are getting caught back up with vetting the animals as the Rascal clinic and local vets have restarted.
They have several volunteers, but Selders said they can always use more to help with fundraising, clinic days and fostering pets. Selders works several odd jobs with money going to the humane society and the former Coshocton Four Paws rescue has a fund through the Coshocton Foundation that also provides money. The society is using $5,000 this year from the fund for the mobile clinic and TNR program.
Currently, a fundraiser is being held of face masks being sold for $5 each made by Designs by Michele. The drive has raised $1,600 so far.
Along with monetary donations the group also needs food, treats, toys and cleaning supplies. Materials are sought for a society member who creates handmade hammocks and pillows for the animals too.
“We try not to beg too much. We try to get it all done ourselves. But I don’t think people know what all we do, because we don’t have a facility for people to see,” Selders said. “If somebody talks to me or one of our board members, they know exactly what we do. Volunteers are so helpful.”
Selders said they would love to build a permanent home, but money and space would be needed. They do have a savings account for a facility with donations earmarked for the project. Tractor Supply has been great, Selders said, about allowing them space for adoption events, clinics and housing. But, their own facility would allow them to grow and do more.
“It’s just so much hassle to have all these qualifications and mandatory services to have a facility,” Selders said. “We have some money in savings, but it’s going to take a lot more.”
For more information on the Coshocton County Humane Society, make a donation or learn about pets for adoption, go to coshoctoncohumanesociety.org or call 740-575-5829.
Many of the adoptable cats are available for viewing from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Tractor Supply in Downtowner Plaza.
@llhayhurst
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