Constantly overflowing with animals year round, the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is always on the lookout for ways to reduce its pet population. Thanks to the transport program, 1,274 furry friends have found forever homes around the country.
HOW IT WORKS
Since 2019, WCRAS has partnered with other shelters and rescues across the country that face a shortage of animals in their areas and are eager to take in dogs from Williamson County. Community programs coordinator April Peiffer says, “These shelters and rescues are in need of dogs for adoption in their areas, and we have more than we can handle pretty much at all times. We make room in our shelter for the new dogs that arrive each day, they get dogs for people to adopt, and the dogs find homes quicker. So this program is a winner from every angle.”
The transport program also allows staff to focus more on the remaining dogs. “The fewer dogs we have here, the better care we can provide to the ones who remain. This provides much needed relief from our constant struggle with capacity,” she says. Benefiting more than just canines, the program “provides a source of hope for staff and volunteers who may be experiencing compassion fatigue or job-related stress from so many animals needing care.”
BENEFITS FOR ALL
Thanks to the transport program, dogs that were overlooked at the shelter for months quickly found their forever homes after being sent to other shelters and rescues with canine shortages. Many of them have been older, rescued from neglect situations or, like Sampson (pictured, right), simply didn’t have the right environment to thrive.
After living at the shelter for months and suffering from kennel distress, Sampson was taken in by a local foster who watched him become a different dog at home. He ended up being adopted through the transport program. Another canine, Latke, spent six months at the shelter before being adopted into a family with three cats. His new family wrote to the shelter about how happy they have been with Latke, now known as Scooby Doo. “He was meant to be with us and is such a great boy! We are so complete now with him in our family, thank you for bringing him into our lives. You do such wonderful work saving these animals’ lives and finding forever homes for them.”