The White County Animal Shelter is hosting a “Save The Old Timers” adoption event with the goal of finding a home for dogs that are at-risk of euthanasia.
Volunteer Steve Kunze said dogs at the event will be up for adoption for only $25, a rate cheaper than the adoption fee at the shelter. He said dogs who stay at the shelter longer are at a higher risk of being euthanized, alongside those with aggression or health issues.
“Some of them have been there for awhile,” Kunze said. “Up to a year or more, and we really need to get these dogs out. The longer they stay in the shelter, they tend to develop behavioral issues, and we need to get the dogs out of there. It’s just not a good environment for long-term.”
Kunze said the staff and volunteers are hoping to find home for roughly half of the 42 dogs at the shelter, which is currently over capacity. The event is on Saturday from 10am to 3pm at the Tractor Supply in Sparta.
“The dogs that we’re going to have over at the event this Saturday are all very adoptable dogs, and they just need to find a good home with the right person.”
Kunze said due to staff limitations the event will start with around 13 dogs present, but staff will go back to the shelter to bring more dogs once the adoptions begin.
“Obviously when you get dogs in an environment like that you need to keep control of them,” Kunze said.
Kunze said that irresponsible owners are a large part of the overpopulation problem at the shelter.