Victoria Humane Society sees influx of animals, hopes for facility in future

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WatchIf you're thinking of adopting a puppy, then you're in luck. In about six weeks, the Victoria Humane Society will be looking to find homes for two-week-old puppies now in a foster home. But what the society would really like is a facility of its own. Mary Griffin reports.

Penny Stone, executive director, Victoria Humane Society was holding a tiny puppy on Friday.  It is so new, its eyes are still closed.

It’s one of a litter of two-week-old mixed breed puppies resting comfortably at their foster home.

“With these puppies, a lovely lady rescued a dog from the Philippines, and brought it home and didn’t know that it was pregnant at time,” Stone said.

More than 1,500 animals rescued by the Society this year. The organization takes on all emergencies, whenever they are called. They are making room for even more on Saturday.

“We got the phone call this morning.  Eleven puppies are coming tomorrow morning. Can you pick them up at the airport?” Stone said.

That’s where people like Dianne Darch come in. She started fostering dogs for the society five years ago.

“That dog has nine pups in my bedroom, and two pups in the whelping pen that I prepared. It was an experience,” Darch said.

Now the society is hoping that someone will come forward to help finance a facility to house homeless animals.

“What we’re hoping to do soon is get a facility so that we can put them there. Assess them, and go, this one can go with this family with kids. This one can go to the house with dogs and cats,” Stone said.

Stone estimates the cost of caring for a puppy by the society at $850.  New owners pay $500 to adopt an animal.   And there is so much need for homes, foster parents like Darch agrees it’s time to help with a facility.

“Its’ a problem finding fosters for everybody. So, I think they really need a facility,” Darch said.

For more information on these puppies, and the Victoria Humane Society, go to: https://www.victoriahumanesociety.com

Mary GriffinMary Griffin

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