Charleston Animal Society Offers Fee-Waived Adoptions on All Animals Through July 15

Charleston Animal Society is having an animal crisis and is making an urgent plea to the community to please make room for one more. “In the past two weeks, we have been flooded with a surge of dogs and cats,” said Charleston Animal Society Director of Community Engagement Kay Hyman.

The Animal Society facility at 2455 Remount Road is built to house 250 animals, and as of today, there are 709 animals in the system. To help with the overcrowding, Charleston Animal Society is offering free adoptions on all animals through July 15^th as part of the “Great American Rescue Event.”

“Complicating our situation is that July 4^th is when more animals run away from home than at any other time of the year,” said Hyman. “We know that we will see many of those animals come straight to our shelter, and we need to make room.” Last July 5–7, 119 lost animals were brought to the shelter. Charleston Animal Society may have to halt admissions to the shelter because of the current crisis.

Dogs and cats come spayed or neutered, with all shots and a microchip. “Overcrowding is a critical situation that happens each summer, but it never gets easier,” said Hyman. “Once again, we are counting on our incredible community to step in and help save these animals.”

If Your Pet is Lost:

·       Immediately search your neighborhood.

·       Put up signs with a picture of your pet, his or her name and other important information.

·       Post a picture and information about your pet’s last known whereabouts on social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

·       Visit Charleston Animal Society at 2455 Remount Road in North Charleston to see if your pet has been picked up by animal control or another member of the public and brought to the shelter.

Here are other tips to keep your pet safe during the 4^th of July holiday:

·       Fireworks: Fun for family, not for your dog or cat. Leave pets at home when you head out for fireworks, and don’t ignite them around pets.

·       Keep Pets Cool. Dogs and cats can become dehydrated quickly, so it is important to provide them with plenty of water when it is hot outdoors. Pets should also have a shady place to escape the sun, if outside and they should never linger on hot asphalt or cement (to protect their paws).

·       Spot the Symptoms: Signs of overheating in pets include increased heart rate, excessive drooling and panting, difficulty breathing, weakness, elevated body temperature (over 104 degrees) and even seizures. Even if swimming, a dog can easily get sick in the heat.

·       Glow Jewelry is a Potential Danger. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.