Madison County touts pet adoption success at shelter

In celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, Madison County Animal Care and Control held a special adoption event on April 30 with the Metro East Humane Society and Partners for Pets in Edwardsville.

“Adopt a Shelter Pet is a great way to remind people that there are so many animals waiting for homes,” said animal control manager Katherine Conder.

Conder said MEHS and Partners for Pets rescue most of all dogs and cats that come into animal control. The rescues efforts the past several years helped to reduce the number of animals that are euthanized at the county’s shelter.

“Without the rescues, we wouldn’t be able save the number of animals that we do,” Conder said.

All of the dogs and cats that were up for adoption at the event are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and have age-appropriate vaccinations.

Chairman Kurt Prenzler said Conder is doing great work in helping to save the animals. He said her efforts during the past year have helped the county move toward its no-kill goal with a more than 90 percent save rate.

Prenzler said that the county’s save rates in 2016, when he first took office, were 67 percent for dogs and 39 percent for cats; in 2017, 80 percent for dogs and 61 percent for cats; 2018, 92 percent for dogs and 93 percent for cats.

“We would not be where we are without Katherine or the rescues like Partners for Pets and Metro east Humane Society,” he said. “Through their hard work, we are able to save lives by getting people to adopt animals.”