Partner Profile: Humane Society of Delaware County
The Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC) is our currently featured partner. HSDC is a leader in creative solutions to care for shelter pets and pets of senior citizens!
Mission: HSDC strives to ensure the best possible treatment, care, and placement of animals in need.
#FalalaFoster Season: HSDC had such great success with their short-term Thanksgiving fostering program, they are repeating it for Christmas and New Year’s! The process is turn-key, and HSDC provide everything: food, a bed, toys, and a crate. This provides a great opportunity for animals to get out of the shelter and increase their adoption rates.
Pet Food Pantry: HSDC runs the White Shed Food Program, available to residents of Delaware County. Clients must show proof of residency and proof that all pets have been spayed/neutered. HSDC provides pet food for 2 months for unaltered animals, during which time owners must spay/neuter their pets if they wish to receive pet food after the 2-month point.
FalalaFoster me! I’m Connor, and I’m a good senior boy!
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter: HSDC offers low-cost spay/neuter services and frequently receives grants that can reduce owner cost to only $20 per pet.
Pet Care Assistance Program (PCAP): In October, HSDC launched a new no-cost pilot program, PCAP, for Delaware County senior citizens. The program is in partnership with Delaware County’s SourcePoint, which is the senior citizen facility that provides Meals on Wheels and in-home medical care to Delaware seniors. SourcePoint makes referrals to HSDC. PCAP has two components–medical services and respite care.
PCAP medical services: HSDC veterinary staff make house calls to provide routine veterinary medical care and grooming services. This minimizes animal stress and gives owners an opportunity to discuss pet health with a veterinary professional. If surgical procedures are needed, the surgery will be prescheduled and performed at the HSDC facility.
HSDC Veterinarian
Dr. Schaeffer and Fenway
PCAP respite care services: HSDC provides pets with veterinary care while pet owners seek short-term hospital or rehabilitation care. Pets live with temporary foster families for up to 30 days until the owner is able to resume pet care. Cats will be cared for in the owner’s home. Owners can focus on their own well-being, knowing their pets are safe and receiving care. This helps pets, supports families, and strengthens our communities.
Service area: Delaware County
Learn more: For further information, see the Delaware County Humane Society website, FaceBook page, or contact:
Phone: (740) 369-7387
Email: hsdcoffice@hsdcohio.org
Mail: 4920 St Rt 37 E, Delaware OH 43015
OAA Interview with HSDC Executive Director, Janet Cassady
Janet Cassady is the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC). As of April, she has begun her seventh exciting year as Executive Director and believes that animal welfare is her calling. Although Delaware County has a smaller low-income population (20-25% poverty) than surrounding counties, her facility operates at full capacity, which can house 122 companion animals.
The onset of COVID-19 and people’s ability to work from home increased the rate of adoptions in humane societies. As people have begun returning to the office, many of those adopted pets are being returned due to behavioral issues such as separation anxiety. In addition, the federal eviction moratorium expiration has increased the number of people who are having difficulty finding housing that allows pets. These factors have contributed to the recent influx of surrendered pets.
Operating at full capacity, Cassady realized that the only way she could expand any programming was to focus on issues that would not require actual enlargement of their facilities. Amazingly, she attended a workshop in which Vicki Deisner, Ohio Animal Advocates Executive Director, presented a session on the elderly and their pet’s needs. This presentation inspired Cassady to develop the Pet Care Assistance Program (PCAP), in partnership with the county’s Meals-On-Wheels Program.
Sometimes, elderly pet parents have to choose between purchasing their own food and medicine or their pet’s food and medicine. The goal of PCAP is to keep pets healthy so they can stay at home with their elderly parents. Cassady received a grant to fund the PCAP through helping elders with free pet food, spays and neuters, heartworm and flea/tick medicine, vaccines, dental care, grooming, respite care, and surgeries. Now in its fourth year, PCAP has had an incredible impact on the community. Last year, they exhausted all funding by September, so she is seeking more funds in the future to ensure the program can operate year-round.
The HSDC also provides PAWS (People, Animals and Welfare for Success) training for those who are interested in volunteering. In addition, HSDC partners with the Veteran’s Companion Animal Program, an organization that adopts dogs from HSDC and coordinates training with a veteran in need of a companion animal. They also provide low-cost spay/neuter, dental, euthanasia, along with wellness and vaccination clinics. Last year, HSDC distributed 36 tons of pet food to Delaware County residents and their part-time veterinarian performed more than 2,000 spays and neuters.
They also work with Turning Point, a local Domestic Violence Shelter, by temporarily caring for the pets of domestic violence survivors. Cassady’s current focus is to build upon the PCAP and other community programs to strengthen and broaden their reach.