FACE COVERINGS:

• • Face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated individuals. If a fully vaccinated employee, volunteer, or public prefers to continue to wear a face covering, they are welcome to do so.
• • Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face covering while inside the HSDC facility.
• • HSDC staff will not require proof of vaccination status.
• • All other COVID-19 safety measures remain in place at this time, including social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, and health self-assessments.

PUBLIC VISITATION/OPEN HOURS:

We appreciate the interest of the public to visit and interact with the animals. The benefits to humans are well documented – from lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and providing a general sense of well-being. Our goal is to balance the needs of the staff and animals, while still providing casual visitation.

• • The shelter will be open for casual visitation of the adult cats or kittens on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:00 – 2:00 pm.  The social interactions with our adult cats and kittens are well documented. They crave attention, enjoy gentle pets, play time, and the sound of a friendly voice. Appropriate human interaction improves their mental and physical health.
• • The reading program for adult cats will be available on Tuesdays mornings from 11:30 – 12:00. The shelter has a small selection of books available, but we encourage you to bring a book appropriate for your child’s reading level.
• • The dog floor will remain closed to casual foot traffic and visitation. An unanticipated outcome of the limited public walkthroughs during COVID-19 was a decrease in agitation and stress levels for adult dogs housed on the adoption floor. Predictable routines and monitored interactions reduced noise, excitability, and upset stomachs. Caretakers noticed a marked improvement in the mental and physical health of our dogs!
• • The shelter is closed on Sunday with limited caretakers for animal needs.
• • Pre-scheduled surgeries will continue to be completed as arranged and scheduled.

Due to space constraints, the HSDC may need to limit casual visitation for the safety of staff and the animals.

ADOPTION PROCESS:

• • Adoptions will continue to be completed by pre-scheduled appointment once an application has been received and counseling completed. This process has proven to be effective and efficient, targets specific identified animals, and reduces overall exposure to both the staff and the public.
• • Adoption appointments will be scheduled between the hours of 12:00 – 5:00 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 12:00 – 6:00 Wednesday; and 11:00 – 5:00 on Saturday. The last available appointment on any day is one hour prior to closing.

As always, we cherish our supportive community and look forward to a more accessible environment. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.