Lucas Adcock
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County Animal Shelter in Marlinton has several dogs and cats, most of which are either “surrender” animals, which means the owner has turned them over to the shelter (which could be for various reasons,) or strays that have been found throughout the county. While the shelter has seen plenty of animals come and go, there have been some recent setbacks that make it necessary for shelter staff to urge people to adopt.
Mia Friel, the full-time operator of the shelter, expressed the growing concern surrounding their occupancy limits being reached and the shelter’s necessary decision to place on hold their ability to take surrender animals.
The shelter has recently taken in dozens of puppies out of necessity to their well-being.
“Right now, we’re working double,” Friel said, explaining that even the part-time operators are frantically attempting to accommodate space and allocate resources for the new animals. They are doing this while also providing necessities such as food and water and exercise for the animals who have already had some extended tenure at the shelter.
Friel is concerned about all the animals and the need to find them new homes, despite them being well cared for at the shelter.
One resident pup, named Dobey, a two-to-three year-old Husky/ Shepherd mix has been at the shelter for nearly a year waiting for a forever home.
Having the chance to visit the shelter myself, it was evident that, while the animals are being well cared for and are loved, the operators are struggling to provide the care they need with the current staff, and are urging locals to adopt if they’re able to, or at least to come by the shelter to see the loving pets for yourself.
All pets taken in are promptly spayed and neutered, and given their rabies and first parvo vaccination. For those who aren’t as familiar with the vaccinations, parvo is one of the most important for both dogs and cats in their earlier weeks of life. Both canine and feline parvovirus is highly contagious, and an often fatal, viral disease that strikes the gastrointestinal tract and white blood cells of young or unvaccinated dogs and cats, causing severe dehydration.
The operators at Pocahontas County Animal Shelter love the animals they take in and do an outstanding job as caretakers during their (sometimes extended) stay.
If you’re interested in stopping by, a few things to note would be that there are no adoption fees, despite all the precare, vaccinations, and necessary surgery the animals undergo. These animals simply need a suitable, loving home to go to.
The shelter is located at 300 Second Avenue in Marlinton, behind the Pocahontas County Day Report Center. The shelter is open to the public between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Stop by, see the animals, fall in love.
Adopt!
