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Animal shelter adds Sat. hours

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

County residents have asked that the Fayette County Animal Shelter be open Saturdays and their requests will be granted starting Saturday, Sept. 3. The shelter will be open solely for adoptions from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. each Saturday and director Miguel Abi-Hassan hopes the weekend hours will help some of the animals at the shelter find good homes.

“We realize that it is often difficult to get the family to the shelter during the week,” said Abi-Hassan. “We hope to make the Saturday hours into a family event and get more animals into homes.”

This is just one of several welcome changes at the shelter. In addition to being open Saturdays, the shelter has received skylights which were donated by the Fayette County Humane Society and they are also currently accepting bids for a new flooring system that will help keep the animals healthier.

The skylights are solar tubes which refract natural sunlight into the areas where the animals are located. The staff at the shelter has seen a positive impact already with the animals finding spots of natural sunlight to sit in and enjoy. The flooring system will help cut down on germs and bacteria being dragged throughout the shelter, which will cut down on diseases that the animals can pick up and spread to each other.

In addition to the changes inside the shelter, Abi-Hassan is also beginning to offer a Gentle Giant program, which is available to elementary age children. The program, which can be brought to a classroom or an after-school club, will teach children basic pet care and bite prevention among other important animal topics.

Accompanying Hassan to the program will be his dog, Andy, an eight-year-old sheltie, who has passed his Canine Good Citizen test and serves as spokesdog for the program. Abi-Hassan adopted Andy from an rescue program four months ago and is excited to show that people can teach an old dog new tricks.

“It also serves as an example that senior dogs can integrate into a home,” said Abi-Hassan, who often brings Andy with him to work.

Abi-Hassan is also planning on offering behavior consultation and providing a program similar to Gentle Giant but more age appropriate for adult civic groups.

It is a busy time at the Fayette County Animal Shelter but an exciting one. They are hoping that the Saturday hours go well and could possibly expand them if the demand was there.

If your class or youth organization is interested in the Gentle Giant program, or you need further information about the Fayette County Animal Shelter, phone 770-716-4330.