Humane society sees empty cages and pets finding homes

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Staff members at Tippecanoe County's Almost Home Humane Society say Adoption numbers are up and cages are empty.

Now, they're teaming up with other shelters to make 2013 their best year yet.

Dogs and cats at Tippecanoe County's Almost Home Humane Society have a little more leg room. Cages are empty and pets are headed out the door.

Adoption numbers are already up by 40 compared to the first two weeks of 2012.

“We've done 68 adoptions since [January] 7,” Almost Home Humane Society Executive Director Michelle Warren said. “We are well ahead of 2012.”

And it's even better news for Warren because 2012 was a record-breaking year with 1,084 adoptions.

Warren said the adoption spike is because of their New Year deal: $20.13 for any pet adoption. The deal was part of the reason Brooke Hill came in to adopt a cat.

“He's just really laid back,” she said. “He seems like he'll be a good fit for my home.”

Warren said after all the adoptions she didn't have any animals to fill the empty cages.

To help fill those cages the Tippecanoe County Humane Society is teaming up with the Clinton County and Kokomo humane societies and Paws ‘N’ Claws animal shelter in Attica to get more animals in Lafayette.

“The Kokomo dogs got here first on Wednesday,” Warren said. “Almost all of them were adopted by yesterday.”

The New Year deal has ended, but Warren says they plan to have monthly adoption deals.

It's all part of a new direction the shelter is taking to make 2013 their top year.

“We just want to keep increasing our live release rate as much as possible,” Warren said. “We're shooting for about 85 percent, 80 to 85 percent.”

“There is such an overpopulation of stray animals,” Hill said. “Since all my animals have been adopted I've been really happy with them. Sometimes it takes more energy and a little bit more live to kind of get them to where they need to be in a home.”

Warren recommends staying in touch with The Almost Home Humane Society's website, Facebook and Twitter for information on the monthly adoption deals.