The Kentucky Humane Society is affiliated with other animal welfare groups.

Metro Animal Services and the Kentucky Humane Society and  are the same organization.

Pets have time limits at the Kentucky Humane Society.

The Kentucky Humane Society euthanizes animals for no apparent reason.

All "shelter" animals have behavior problems.

We handle pet licensing and/or enforce the Metro Louisville animal ordinance.

The Kentucky Humane Society isn't a non-profit and makes money from adoptions and other programs.

The Kentucky Humane Society is a statewide organization that governs other animal welfare groups in the state and has legal jurisdiction in all counties of the state.

Myth: The Kentucky Humane Society is affiliated with other animal welfare groups.

• TRUTH: We are not affiliated with any other local, regional or national organization.
The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) is a private, nonprofit organization that advocates the humane treatment of companion animals through leadership and proactive solutions to pet overpopulation, including adoptions, rescue, education and spay/neuter efforts. We do not receive any state or federal funding from any entity, nor do we receive any funding from any national organizations.

Back to Top

Myth: The Kentucky Humane Society and Metro Animal Services are the same organization.

• TRUTH: The Kentucky Humane Society and Metro Animal Services are separate organizations.
KHS is a private, non-profit organization that relies solely on private supporters. Metro Animal Services is the city government agency that’s mandated to handle animal control in Metro Louisville, including stray pick-ups, cruelty investigations and licensing. KHS is only mandated to handle animal control and enforcement in Henry, Trimble and Spencer counties.

Back to Top

Myth: Pets have time limits at the Kentucky Humane Society.

• TRUTH: There is no specific time limit for dogs and cats who are up for adoption.
Some pets are adopted within a few hours, while other pets remain in our care for months. If a pet passes our health and temperament evaluations, and if we have space, they will be placed up for adoption at one of our eight adoption sites. All cats and dogs remain available for adoption as long as health, behavior and space permits.

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (502) 366-3355.

Back to Top

Myth: The Kentucky Humane Society euthanizes pets for no apparent reason.

• TRUTH: We are committed to eliminating the euthanasia of healthy, temperamentally-sound pets.

Since we open our doors to any cat or dog in need, we can take in 25-40 pets each day. We see pets of all ages, breeds and sizes, as well as varying levels of temperament and health. If a pet passes our health and temperament evaluations, and if we have space, they will be placed up for adoption at one of our eight adoption sites. All cats and dogs remain available for adoption as long as health, behavior and space permits.

Unfortunately, some pets do come to us with life-threatening injuries, terminal illnesses or aggression and cannot be placed for adoption; thus, requiring that they be humanely euthanized. We humanely euthanize by lethal injection, most commonly for illness or temperament and, when necessary, due to overcrowding. All animals are treated lovingly by a trained staff member during the entire process.

Right now, our adoption rate is more than double the national average, and we do euthanize 1% of pets for overcrowding. However, our goal is to make that zero percent by 2010 and continue increasing our adoption rate each year until all healthy, temperamentally sound pets find permanent homes. We plan to accomplish this goal by continuously educating the public on the importance of spay/neuter and selecting the right pet for one’s lifestyle, as well as on the benefits of behavior training.

Back to Top 

Myth: Most "shelter" animals have behavior problems.

• TRUTH: Most pets do not have behavior problems and make great companions!
Many people seem to believe that the pets, particularly dogs, available for adoption at KHS or another animal shelter are there due to behavioral problems. While it may be one of the top reasons why pets are surrendered, that does NOT mean  these companion animals actually have behavior issues. Many of these "problems" actually are common canine (or feline) behaviors that were not addressed properly by their previous owner.

To help some of the adoptable dogs become the type of pet that adopters prefer, KHS does offer a shelter training program called "Camp Canine." It's specifically designed for canines with special behavioral needs, as well as young, energetic dogs who need basic manners training prior to adoption.

Adult animals in our care respond well to positive reinforcement training techniques. "You cannot teach an old dog new tricks" is a false statement. Canine Coach volunteers exercise and socialize our adult dogs, and many of them learn basic commands such as "sit" and "down." It's always important to remember that you need to be consistent, patient and understanding when training any animal.

Sadly, some pets do come to us with very serious behavior problems, such as aggression towards humans. If an animal shows any signs of aggression while in our care, we cannot knowingly adopt out that dog or cat -- it is our social responsibility to only adopt out healthy, temperamentally sound pets. We take our responsibility to the community very seriously. The safety of our staff, volunteers, adopters and other animals are of the utmost importance to us at all times.

Back to Top

Myth: We handle pet licensing and/or enforce the Metro Louisville animal ordinance.

• TRUTH: Licensing and the animal ordinance are handled by the city’s government agency, Metro Animal Services.
Access the Metro Louisville animal ordinance FAQ, as well as review the entire ordinance and fee schedule from Metro Animal Services. You can contact them by calling (502) 363-6609.

Back to Top

Myth: The Kentucky Humane Society isn't a non-profit and actually makes money from adoptions and other programs.

• TRUTH: We are a private, non-profit organization that is fiscally responsible, using your dollars to fund our life-saving programs.
The Kentucky Humane Society is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All of the money raised via adoptions, donations, special events and other pet services, like the Pet Resorts, directly fund our life-saving programs. By using our services, YOU actually help us continue serving pets and people via our mission programs, including adoptions, education and spay/neuter efforts.

KHS received the highest rating for fiscal responsibility from Charity Navigator. We are the only animal welfare agency in the state to receive the coveted 4-star rating from the leading non-profit evaluator. View our Charity Navigator profile and how our money is spent.

For example, adoption fees help cover the cost of caring for the thousands of homeless animals we serve each year. It costs us approximately $325 to care for each homeless pet that comes through our doors. This includes vet care (spay/neuter, vaccinations, medications and other treatments if needed), food, water, shelter and more.

Back to Top

Myth: The Kentucky Humane Society is a statewide organization that governs other animal welfare groups in the state and has legal jurisdiction in all counties of the state.

• TRUTH: We do not have legal jurisdiction in most parts of the state, nor do we govern other animal welfare groups in the state.
Though we offer multiple adoption and pet service locations in Metro Louisville, KHS currently only has legal jurisdiction to conduct animal cruelty and neglect investigations in Henry, Trimble and Spencer counties.

If you do witness animal abuse outside of our jurisdiction, here are some recommendations that may help you:

• First, contact your county sheriff's office to report your concerns.
• Then, contact the local government animal control agency or dog warden to report any concerns. Try the county clerk's office first, if needed.
• Also consider contacting a non-profit animal welfare agency in your county, as they may be able to offer additional help or recommendations. Please click here to access a list of more than 125 animal welfare organizations located in Kentucky.

Unfortunately, Kentucky's animal cruelty laws are relatively weak and poorly-defined compared to other states. We strongly urge people to voice their concerns by contacting their state representatives. Contact information can be located by visiting www.lrc.ky.gov or calling (800) 372-7181. For more information on animal cruelty laws in Kentucky and other states, visit www.hsus.org or www.aspca.org.

Back to Top