The recent public spotlight on substandard conditions at an Edmonson County animal shelter has brought an outpouring of support for several other shelters in the region.
About sixty cats and dogs were taken from the Edmonson County shelter over a week ago after a Kentucky State Police raid. Twenty-seven of those dogs ended up at the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society.
Adoption Center manager Leah Lawrence says community support has been amazing.
“People have just come out of the woodwork to try to help. They’ve come out to bathe the dogs, to make donations, donate money toward sponsorships and our medical fund. And it’s been a real blessing that people have supported us the way that they have in this.”
Animal shelters in Glasgow and Owensboro also report increased public support after taking in animals from the Edmonson County shelter.
Jamie Ray, the executive director of the Glasgow-based Barren River Animal Welfare Association, says her shelter has received several donations from Edmonson County residents who said they were upset to learn about the conditions at the facility in Bee Spring.
Ray says many of those who have come to the shelter to talk about the animals rescued from Edmonson County become emotional and start to cry.
Meanwhile, some of the dogs rescued from poor conditions at an Edmonson County shelter will need months of treatment before they can be adopted.
Lawrence says several of the rescued dogs brought to Bowling Green are in the early stages of recovery.
“We have several dogs that have tested positive for heartworm disease and tickworm diseases. Those can require weeks, if not months, of treatment.”
Lawrence says at least two dogs brought to Bowling Green have been reunited with their owners.
Those dogs were microchipped and that allowed shelter employees to contact the owners. Lawrence says that’s an example of why microchipping and putting tags on dogs and cats is so important.
