HAZARD, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter in Hazard just got two grants totaling $50,000 of disaster relief from PetSmart and Petco charities after this summer’s devastating floods. Extra funds mean more specialized care for the animals.
Allie Mullins, this shelter's manager, says, "Right now, they get the bare minimum. They get cleaned, fed, watered, and medicated if they need medication -- that's pretty much it. But we would love to have the animals walked and socialized and cared for more deeply."
Mullins says this shelter's manager says that before the flood, between 150 and 250 animals would be here at one time now as the weather gets colder that number is up to 300.
"At first we had all these misplaced animals, some got reclaimed, some are still here -- and then now, we're running into the issue of people, where it's getting cold at night, people can’t keep their animals," she says.
That $50,000 of relief funds given to this shelter will help with more staffing, animals' veterinary needs, and make improvements to the space.
"Like I come in, I’m looking at 100 animals to take care of by myself daily and that's why we asked for staff money in the grant because with the influx of animals there's just no way we can take care of them properly," says Mullins.
She hopes that over the next two weeks this shelter will have the extra support they need to continue caring for these animals. She says many of the animals have already been through so much.
"A lot of them get depressed. So, when we have staff that can spend the extra time with them, then they start getting happier, they're more adoptable, rescues are more prone to take them," says Mullins.
This shelter is working to bring joy back to these animals.
