The Hancock County Humane Society is a no-kill*, non-profit animal shelter registered as a 501(c)3 organization. (We are not affiliated with, nor do we receive financial support from, the Humane Society of the United States.) This shelter has been in existence since 1977 and has always been staffed entirely by volunteers and funded entirely on donations from the local community.
We strive to find permanent safe and loving adoptive homes for the pets in our care. We average 30-40 cats in our shelter and with foster volunteers. Our average intake of cats in a year, and adoptions of pets, is approximately 150. With the recent addition of a medical isolation suite to our facility, our volunteers in cooperation with local veterinarians are able to provide the daily care necessary to help more sick animals become healthy, adoptable pets. We work with other local shelters and last year rescued over 75 cats from facilities who are sometimes forced to euthanize animals due to illness or space limitations.
We also work to provide our community with resources for necessary animal care services so more residents can keep their pets and avoid surrendering them to a shelter. Our pet food pantry is nearing its first completed year in service. We host annual low-cost vaccination clinics with local veterinarians to provide pet owners with affordable vaccines. We provide resources to help reunite lost pets and their owners. (And our pets are adopted with microchips that can be transferred to their new forever family.) We help scouting groups with pet-related education and service projects, and connect pet owners with spay/neuter resources to help reduce the population of unwanted animals.
Our motto: "Kindness to Animals, Inevitably Leads to Kindness to People."
An application is placed after a visit to the shelter to meet the pet. It is researched by a volunteer then must have the approval of two other Board members. An adopter agrees to spay/neuter any pet that isn't yet old enough to be fixed at time of adoption, and also agrees to return the pet to us at any time if for any reason they can no longer care for it. Regular Adoption Fee (kittens or adult cats less than 5 years old): $80. Two can be adopted together for a total fee of $120. Senior citizens (55 or older) may adopt a pet for a special fee of $50. Adult cats 5 years or older: $50. Special-needs cats (including FIV- or FeLeuk-positive): $25.
