Beaver County Humane Society reports 'desperate' need for adoptions as number of strays increase

CENTER TWP. ― As many local families begin their summer vacations this month, the Beaver County Humane Society is urging the public to consider dog adoptions as a part of their summer plans.

Officials from the local humane society report they are at capacity for the number of dogs they can house at their shelter in Center Township, with animals from around Beaver County continuing to enter their care. The summer months are often busy for the shelter as the number of stray animals increases, but staff members said Thursday their local options for helping pets are becoming strained.

“We are desperate for help at this point,” Cailin Rankin, shelter manager at BCHS, said. “We have run out ofcages and we’re worried we won’t have the space to help the next stray dog who needs us.”

The BCHS is urgently seeking families or individuals willing to adopt pets or temporarily serve as a foster parent to homeless dogs. According to staff, foster care of dogs helps open the space for more local strays to receive care, while also helping the lonely pets get some enjoyable time outside of a cage. Adoption is also always a happy occasion for the pets, as they can find the families they have been seeking, shelter workers said.

As of Thursday morning, there were 50 dogs at the BCHS shelter and 13 dogs in foster care. The current waitlist for owner-surrendered pets is at 100.

“We never know how many stray dogs will come in on a given day, and we must be prepared to provide them withthe care they need,” Rankin said.

Community members interested in adding a dog to their family can visit the BCHS website to browse the pets waiting for their new homes. Anyone interested in the foster program is encouraged to visit the humane society's website or call 724-775-5801, ext. 117, to learn more about the process.