URGENT HELP! BHS Press Release

Butte Humane Society is organizing a rescue effort for at least 150 animals slated for euthanasia at a Central California shelter. The high-kill shelter, who asked to remain anonymous, is moving to a new facility on March 1 and has decided to euthanize the entire shelter population - about 100 dogs and 50 cats - so that no possible disease will be brought into the new facility. No major infectious diseases are known to be within the population, though a few dogs have bordetella (kennel cough) which is easily treatable with antibiotics. The shelter’s staff will be vacating the old facility and moving to the new facility on March 1, and will be allowing their volunteers to run the old facility for the rest of that week, until March 7. The shelter’s volunteers are desperately scrambling to place the animals in permanent or temporary homes, and are willing to transport the animals to other shelters, rescue groups, and foster homes.

Butte Humane Society has agreed to take as many animals as space permits and is working to find foster homes in our community. If you can provide a temporary home for one or more of these animals, please contact the shelter at 530-343-7917 or e-mail kimthompson@buttehumane.org. You will be required to complete a foster volunteer application and verify that any pets you own have current vaccinations. BHS will provide any necessary medication and can provide food and other supplies for their care. These animals will need to be fostered for at least one week to ensure they are healthy and ready for adoption, and as space opens up in our shelter we will take in the animals and place them up for adoption. If foster parents can care for the animals on a more long-term basis, BHS will work to adopt out animals directly from the foster homes.