Oh, give them a home — Davis animal shelter hosts Adoption Day

The Davis County Animal Shelter hosted an Adoption Day Saturday to help its residents find new homes.

In Davis there were 30 dogs and 25 cats up for adoption to the public. After the doors closed Saturday, three cats and three dogs had found new families with whom to spend the holidays. Sgt. Craig Andersen, an officer with the shelter, was overjoyed to see one dog, Luna, a pit bull mix, find a new home, because her previous owners had recently been convicted of animal cruelty.

"It meant a lot to the staff to see her go. Most of them had worked with Luna over the past five months to get her health back," Andersen said. "It made everybody's day when she found a new home."

The rest of the animals are still looking for a home, but the shelter hosted this special adoption day to accommodate families who may not be able to make it to the shelter during a typical workweek. Andersen said it is important the animals at the shelter find a good home because, with the shelter running at near capacity, some animals will be euthanized.

Each animal that is available for adoption has passed the shelter's temperament test, which evaluates whether the animal will make a suitable pet for a family with children or seniors.

Kristen Evans, a Davis County resident, said she brought her family to the shelter after seeing an ad at Petco.

"It's a new chapter in my life, and I wanted a kitty for Christmas," Evans said. "I wanted to come here where I knew I could save an animal instead of buying a pet from a store or house."

The Evans house already has a dog and bird, but Evans said their new cat, Hope, will be a welcome addition to the family. Though Evans didn't bring her other pets to the shelter to meet Hope, owners can bring their current pets to the shelter to see how they interact with a potential addition.

"If we can get one out, it's a success," Anderson said. "It's one less that we have to put down."

Before adopting a pet, Andersen said, it is important that family members realize they are making a lifelong commitment to the animal. Often the shelter is flooded with animals during holiday seasons. Using Easter as an example, Andersen said he is always shocked at the numbers of rabbits and chickens that end up in the shelter because families don't realize the pet will get older and require daily care.

Anderson said it is important for potential owners to feel the pet will fit their lifestyle and that they will have adequate time to care for the animal. The average yearly cost for food, shelter and veterinary care is about $350 for a dog and $110 for a cat, the shelter estimates.

Despite the time and commitment pets require, Brandi Terry, a Davis County resident, said she just knew it was time for another dog when she saw Toto.

"We came in today because my mom's dog got picked up by the pound," Terry said. "Then we saw all the dogs in here, and it broke our hearts. A lot of dogs are put to sleep and have had difficult lives, and we can give them a good home."

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E-mail: cnorlen@desnews.com