Humane Society of York County

Mission - At the HSYC, our mission is to prevent animal suffering; to help reduce overpopulation by promoting spaying and neutering; to educate the public about animal welfare, and to place adoptable animals in loving homes.  We advocate for animal rights legislation, and promote the punishment of animal abusers.

Giving abandoned animals a “second chance”.

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Pathway of Hope BRICK Program

You can order your memorial brick on-line at https:/www.bricksrus.com/order/hsyc (you will be able to pay via check, Paypal or credit card).  You can also request an email order form at humanesocietyofyorkcounty@yahoo.com.  Remember/honor a special pet or person, or show your company’s support for HSYC.  If you have any questions or problems ordering, contact Pam Williams 803-322-5035.

Events Coming Up

• September 18 8am – noon - 5KFun Run, 1K Walk and Dog Walk – added Tennis Ball Raffle sponsored by Sport Clips – see details for purchasing tickets and register by clicking the link above.  Our big event – come out and enjoy the fun, Children’s Petting Zoo with Dr. Randy’s Llamas, face painting, adoptable dogs, something for the whole family.  We still have some sponsorship opportunities available for this event – let everyone see that your company supports HSYC by sponsoring this event – contact Pam Williams 803-322-5035 for more information on sponsor opportunities.

Adoptable Pets

Click here to view all HSYC Adoptable Pets on petfinder.com

Please visit the HSYC during our adoption hours Tuesday through Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Shelter News

MOVE UPDATE (8/28/10): Location for our Path of Hope and Wall of Gratitude identified and a plan to begin installation is pending approval.  We still need to raise more money before beginning the interior construction phase.  Help construct the shelter by adopting a specific room or a dog or cat cage with a plaque highlighting your donation and a brick display in our Path of Hope.  Our total raised is up to  $45,000  due in part to the popularity of our Path of Hope program – each brick purchased moves us closer to our goal.  Give a brick in honor of a special birthday or think Christmas in September!

York Summerfest on Saturday (28th) was crowded and busy.  We raffled off two beautiful baskets – a dog basket filled with wonderful items, and a cat basket brimming over with goodies.  Thanks to Michelle Caradonna and Wendy Bass for supplying these wonderful baskets.  Also, thanks to Marion, Becky, and Michelle for helping at our booth.  Can’t wait until next year.

Pub Crawl a Success! Lots of people came by for the drawing!   A very happy Teresa Cox took home the 32″ TV and we raised over $2,800 for the shelter move!! Many thanks to Wendy Bass and fiancee Chad, Mom, all the participating locations and everyone that came out to “crawl” for the puppies and kitties!  The top fund raising pub was McHales’s with great support from Jason and his crew.  Everyone had fun at John’s and Madison’s and came back to the patio smiling.  HSYC is very grateful!

Barn Cats

If you have a barn or stable, you can help save a cat!

Sometimes we have cats who cannot live as house pets.
These cats go into our barn cat program.

These cats may be shy or fearful of people, and who prefer the company of other cats and animals. Sometimes, their litterbox habits make them unsuitable to live in the house. And some cats are just too independent to appreciate being cooped up in cages here at the HSYC! Please note that we do not adopt cats who are suitable to be household companions to barns, only those cats without other options.

You may be a homeless cat’s last chance.

Barn placement is the last chance at life for these cats. Without barn adopters, they have nowhere else to go. If you have a working barn or safe, heated outbuilding, there are cats who need you. Having a barn cat or cats will help keep down the rodent population. The cats will be helping you, while you provide them a safe place to live. And, because these cats are already spayed or neutered, you won’t have to worry about endless litters of kittens appearing!

What we provide – All cats available for adoption to barns are spayed or neutered and vaccinated. When you adopt a barn cat, we will go over with you how to acclimate your new cat to the barn and make them her at home.

The $25 adoption fee for barn cats helps us cover some of their medical costs. Since many of these cats thrive in the company of other cats, we offer a $5 discount when adopting more than one barn cat at one time.

What you need – The farm or barn owners who adopt the cats agree to give them:

Shelter in a barn, outbuilding, or stable Daily food and water—
cats cannot live on mousing alone

Long-term veterinary care, as needed (they’re neutered and vaccinated now)

A secure place to keep them for the first 2-3 weeks, while they acclimate to your barn. This can be a tack room or any secure indoor enclosure that they cannot escape from.

If you have a working barn or safe, heated outbuilding, there are cats who need you. Save a life—adopt a barn cat today!

To find out what barn cats we have available, please come by the shelter and ask to speak directly to Vickie Frain.

Ten Commandments For Pet Owners

Remember These Important Rules!

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be very painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me. Do not break my spirit with your temper, though I will always forgive you. Your patience will teach me more effectively.

3. Please have me sprayed or neutered.

4. Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don’t be angry with me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends, your entertainment. I have only you.

5. Speak to me often. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice when it’s speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiasm whenever I hear your footsteps.

6. Take me in when it’s cold and wet. I’m a domestic animal and I am no longer accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me. Keep my bowl filled with water. Feed me good food so I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding. By your side, I stand ready, willing and able to share my life with you, for that is what I live for. I’ll never forget how well you’ve treated me.

7. Don’t hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush your bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I’ve been out in the sun too long, or my heart may be getting weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old. For you will grow old too.

10. When I am old, or when I no longer enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going. I am not having fun. Just see to it that my trusting life is taken gently. And be with me on that difficult journey when it’s time to say goodbye. Never say, “I just can’t bear to watch.” Everything is easier for me when you are there. I will leave this earth knowing with my last breath that my fate was always safest in your hands. I love you.

Happy Tails – Our Successes

CHANCE

In August 2008, a starving, pitiful looking dog was brought to us. He was barely able to walk; every rib showed; his skin was covered with insect and flea bites. Not once did he offer to growl or bite.

When we offered him food and water, he looked surprised, ate it quickly, and looked for more. We had to feed him small amounts so he could get accustomed to eating again. In the morning, he quietly watched us feed the other animals, perhaps wondering if he would be fed too. After seeing the pitiful look in his eyes, we made sure we fed him first. Each day he improved. We named him “Chance”, because he was getting a “second chance” with us.

“Chance” learned that he would be fed and walked every day, and that he would get attention from every person that walked by. This was a “new life” for him after months of being ignored and only occasionally being fed. After only a month at HSYC, he learned to make noises (not quite barking yet!) to get attention. He knew he was loved and would never go hungry again. “Chance” was adopted into a loving home and continues to thrive today! He is a living example of what we can accomplish at HSYC – with the generous support of our donors.

We continue daily to give abandoned animals a second “chance”. Although we can’t help every animal that needs us, we saved 534 dogs and cats in 2009. Your support is essential to the shelter’s survival. We have fund raising projects going on all the time, and we have wonderful volunteers that do so much for us. (See VOLUNTEERING AT HSYC for information.)

Could you please help us to continue to have a place for more animals that need us so desperately? If we don’t have room, or the funds to take in another animal, we don’t always know what becomes of the animal. It is too sad to think about.

Let me tell our current “temporary” residents that they too, will have a “second chance” because there are loving people out there that want us to keep doing what we are doing. Please send a contribution to help HSYC keep helping the animals!

Please visit the shelter from 1pm – 4pm Tues. – Sun., to see wonderful, healthy animals that are ready for their “loving homes”!

Thank you for anything you can do for them!

Vickie Frain, Director