LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Lexington Humane Society is overbooked. While their facilities are prepared to hold up to 450 animals, they are currently caring for almost 600 pets.
“This is urgent, we really need people to help us,” Meghan Hawkins, the director of community engagement at the Lexington Humane Society, said. “It’s a heavy responsibility and it’s a lot of pressure.”
This is the most pets the center has taken in over the past six years. Unfortunately, this means that there are not enough kennels to accommodate the dogs. So, a lot of pups have to either share kennels, or stay in office spaces.
”We are having to make love connections and matches, and seeing if they get along," Hawkins said. "And put more than one dog in a cage, and hopefully they get along. We are having to look at other spaces we haven’t used before."
The increase in animals means the non-profit needs more assistance. As a matter of fact, the organization had to send out an email to their volunteers asking for extra support.
“It’s a lot. It’s very easy for them to get burned out and fatigued. But they come in every day, and they care for them, because who else is going to?," Hawkins said.
They have more than 300 active volunteers, but according to Hawkins, they still need more hands, because of the daily intake of new animals they take in.
”We always try to have a nice positive happy spin, but in this situation we can’t,” she said.
