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Coronavirus and KHS: Updates

We will provide updates about COVID-19 and how this impacts our operations at this page. Please check this page often.

July 17, 2020 update:

Healthy Pets Clinic on Steedly Drive Permanently Closed after August 1, 2020

Due to the situation with COVID-19, the Kentucky Humane Society’s Healthy Pets Clinic on Steedly Drive is permanently closed after August 1. We will see patients with scheduled appointments until July 31, but all appointments have been booked, and we are not taking new appointments.

If your pet needs services normally provided by the Healthy Pets Clinic, please make an appointment with your private veterinarian.

If you need financial assistance for veterinary care, please call our Pet Help Line at 502-509-4738. Financial assistance is limited and is income qualifying, so you will need to complete a financial assistance application to receive assistance.

The Healthy Pets Clinic on Steedly Drive will be repurposed as a Kentucky Humane Society adoption center. Adoptions will be open by appointment to adhere to social distancing requirements, and we will not be allowing walk-ins.

We plan on reopening the Healthy Pets Clinic in a different location in the future and look forward to seeing you and your pets then!


July 2, 2020 Update:

In-Person Private Training Reopens

We excited to be offering In-Person Private Training again! Our trainer can work with you in your own yard or meet you out in the world to address your specific goals and your dog’s behavior challenges. This service will be held outdoors only and will follow the Healthy at Work guidelines. In addition to In-Person Private Training, we are continuing to over Virtual Training for both dogs and cats. Learn more

June 29, 2020 Update:

Steedly Drive Location to Offer Adoptions by Appointment in Mid-July

After 23 successful years of partnering with Feeders Supply, KHS to centralize adoptions at three locations and increase pet retention services

Since 1997, the Kentucky Humane Society and Feeders Supply have partnered to find loving homes for shelter dogs and cats, with Feeders Supply stores providing space for KHS adoption centers. But with recent trends in animal welfare, KHS has decided to centralize their adoptions to three key locations: their East Campus at 1000 Lyndon Lane, their Sam Swope Pet Treatment & Lifesaving Center on Steedly Drive, and adoptions at Purrfect Day Café on Bardstown Road.

Having three large adoption centers will help ensure that adopters have a wider variety of adoptable pets to choose from. As Kentucky’s largest pet adoption agency, KHS expects to continue to find homes for about 6,000 animals a year. The three adoption centers will also help ensure KHS can best provide for the medical and behavioral needs of shelter animals and increase efficiencies, ensuring that donor dollars are used wisely. Learn more


May 28, 2020 Update:

East Campus Adoptions Reopen by Appointment Only May 30

Starting May 30, the Kentucky Humane Society is offering adoptions by appointment at our East Campus at 1000 Lyndon Lane, Louisville. We are unable to allow walk-ins at this time, and appointments for East Campus must be booked in advance. There is a $15 fee for scheduling an appointment. Learn more about how to make an adoption appointment by visiting our adoptable dogs or adoptable cats pages.

Cat adoptions at Purrfect Day Cafe are also open by appointment only. KHS adoptions at Feeders Supply stores remain closed.

May 26, 2020 update:

Grooming Resumes May 26; Doggie Daycare Begins June 1

Our Eastpoint Pet Resort reopened grooming Tuesday (Fern Creek Pet Resort reopened grooming on May 11). Doggie Daycare will resume at both Pet Resorts on June 1.

May 11, 2020 update:

Pet Resorts Reopen

We are excited to announce our Fern Creek and Eastpoint Pet Resorts reopened on May 11! Both locations are providing curbside assistance to our clients, and we are following state reopening guidelines to keep our staff and clients safe.

Our Fern Creek Pet Resort is providing overnight boarding, day boarding and grooming. Our Eastpoint Pet Resort is providing overnight boarding and day boarding (grooming is temporarily suspended at Eastpoint until our staff can attend to family priorities). Doggie Daycare remains closed for now, but we hope to reopen very soon. We are so excited to see our beloved clients again! #TeamKentucky #HealthyatWork #Patriot #TogetherKY


April 24, 2020 update:

Healthy Pets Clinic ReOpens with Limited Services

Starting Monday, April 27, the Healthy Pets Clinic will offer preventives (flea/tick and heartworm prevention, plus dewormer) to current clients by curbside no-contact appointments. Scheduled appointments are required and pets must already be Healthy Pets Clinic clients. Learn more

COVID-19 Pet Food Bank Changes to Appointments

Starting Monday, the KHS COVID-19 Pet Food Bank will change to appointment only. Pet food assistance will be available to qualifying pet owners who first fill out a COVID-19 Pet Food Assistance Application. The Kentucky Humane Society is no longer offering a drive-through pet food bank but is moving to an appointment-based system. Learn more


April 21, 2020 update:

Virtual Adoptions by Appointment

While all our adoption centers remain closed, we are excited we are now offering dog and cat adoptions by scheduled appointment. At this time, an adopter cannot meet their animal until after they have completed virtual counseling with an adoption counselor and their application has been approved. Learn more


April 16, 2020 update:

Now more than ever, it’s crucial that the Kentucky Humane Society is here for companion animals and the people who love them.

Donations are being matched through Thursday, April 23, so your gift will have TWICE impact. The Joanne W. Gauntt Charitable Foundation is matching donations to the Kentucky Humane Society, up to a total of $35,000, to help us address the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more.

double gift

covid banner giving page


April 15, 2020 update:

Following Governor orders to help flatten the curve and reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the Kentucky Humane Society Eastpoint and Fern Creek Resorts are temporarily closed and are not accepting clients. We will open as soon as we are allowed to do so. If you have an boarding emergency for your pet, we recommend you contact your veterinarian. We miss seeing our two-legged and four-legged clients and look forward to serving you again once pandemic restrictions are lifted. Stay safe and well! #TeamKentucky #HealthyatHome #Patriot #TogetherKY


March 30, 2020 update:

The Kentucky Humane Society’s COVID-19 Pet Food Bank is here to help pet owners economically impacted by the pandemic. Learn more


March 26, 2020 update from Lori Redmon, KHS President & CEO:

#HealthyatHome: KHS Announces Shelter Changes Due to Coronavirus

Dear KHS Supporters,

We are committed to the health and safety of our pets and the community during this difficult time. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Kentucky Humane Society is closing shelter operations to the public after March 27. All current employees whose jobs are not directly related to animal care have been asked to work remotely.

As an organization whose mission is dedicated to being a champion for companion animals, this was an extremely difficult decision to make, but we believe this is the best way we can contribute to #TeamKentucky and help keep Kentuckians safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

While we are closed to the public, we are busy making sure the animals in our care are safe, healthy and happy:

  • Our incredible foster families are caring for over 200 shelter animals
  • Our veterinary staff is making sure all our animals continue to receive their regularly scheduled medical care
  • Our shelter team is busy providing animals at the shelter daily care, enrichment and extra playtime and cuddles.

Because of a mandate from the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners to postpone all nonessential medical procedures, we have had to temporarily suspend all spay/neuter surgeries. To help save human lives during the pandemic, we are donating extra PPE (personal protective equipment) to Kentucky hospitals and nursing homes in need.

There are a lot of unknowns for all us right now, but with your help, we’ll be there for the animals now and after the pandemic. We hope to resume more normal operations on April 20.

Q: Can I still adopt?

A. We have the latest information on our adoptable dogs and adoptable cats pages.

Q: Are you accepting incoming animals?

A: During this time, we are limiting the number of incoming animals. We are accepting owner-surrender animals on an emergency basis only and are not accepting strays or transports from other shelters. We encourage pet owners to wait to surrender their pet and rehome pets to friends and family if they’re able to do so. If this is not an option, we recommend Adopt-a-Pet’s rehoming tool.

Q: What about the animals currently at KHS?

A: The animals at KHS are not at risk, and we will continue to care for their physical and emotional needs during the pandemic. Our goal is to get as many animals as possible into homes to reduce stress on the animals and our staff.

Q: What resources does KHS have for pet owners impacted by the pandemic?

A: If you are facing an emergency and your pet is at risk, please call the KHS Pet Help Line, 502-509-4738 or email [email protected]. We answer the phones seven days a week. The Pet Help Line receives over 1,000 calls or emails a week, so we ask that you leave a message so we can call or email you back.

On March 30, KHS will be opening a COVID-19 Pet Food Bank to help provide food to pet owners impacted by the economic crisis. 

Our Pet Resorts are currently open for boarding dogs and cats. This may become a vital service if pet owners become too ill to care for their beloved animals and need emergency boarding.

We also have limited grant monies to provide other assistance to help financially struggling families keep their pets in their homes. Call the Pet Help Line if you are facing a crisis that is impacting your ability to keep your animal.

Need some inspiring stories during these difficult times? Follow our social media channels while you’re #SaferatHome.

Q: How can I help?

A: First of all, THANK YOU! You can help by:

Adopting: Check out our adoptable dog and adoptable cat pages to see available animals and learn about the adoption process.

Foster: We are fortunate to have a large number of foster volunteers and are relying on current foster families to meet our foster needs. If you are interested in fostering an animal should we need more foster families, see our foster page for information.

Donate: Animals in our community and state continue to need you. YOUR support is vital to our ability to help animals now and after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. We receive no government funding and are not associated with any other national or local humane society. Please consider making a donation to help us care for the animals during and after this time. www.kyhumane.org/donate

KEEP IN TOUCH

This is a constantly evolving situation, so please check this webpage for changes. And if you are looking for good news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @kyhumane.
Sincerely,

Lori Redmon
President & CEO
Kentucky Humane Society



March 24, 2020 update:

Grooming Suspended

Following Gov. Beshear’s March 23 press briefing, grooming at our Eastpoint and Fern Creek Pet Resorts are being suspended at the end of the day. We are calling all clients with scheduled appointments to let them know.


March 23, 2020 update:

Adoptions at All Feeders Supply Closed

Today, we closed our adoption centers at all Feeders Supply stores. For now, adoptions at our East Campus continue but with significant restrictions on the number of adopters allowed in, and Purrfect Day Café is providing cat adoptions by appointment only. If you are interested in adopting, please check our website to learn the latest policy changes and to view our adoptable animals.

S.N.I.P. Clinic Closed

The American Veterinary Medication Association has recommended that veterinary clinics temporarily suspend spay/neuter surgeries as a way to save dwindling PPE (personal protection equipment) for human use. As an animal welfare organization that is committed to reducing pet overpopulation, this has been extremely difficult for us, but we understand the seriousness of this shortage. We are contacting everyone with a spay/neuter appointment. Once restrictions are lifted, we will re-open and give priority to those who had appointments scheduled before the closure.


March 18, 2020 update:

Healthy Pets Clinic Closed

Our Healthy Pets Clinic is now closed and we are not seeing any patients. We will update our website and Facebook when the clinic reopens later this year.

March 17, 2020, update:

A message from Lori Redmon, KHS President & CEO

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and connected during these challenging times. I wanted to update you on what we are doing at the Kentucky Humane Society to help our staff, volunteers and community stay safe while serving the needs of vulnerable animals. Changes are happening daily, so please check for updates on this website before coming to a KHS location.

Like everyone, we are in a tough situation and anticipate staff shortages due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As Kentucky’s largest animal welfare organization and pet adoption agency, we provide critically important services to the animals.

As of today, we are caring for over 300 dogs, cats and horses. To make sure that we have enough staffing to care for the animals, we need your help and cooperation. For information on what services are closed or reduced, please see the below information.

 

URGENT NEED – ADOPT

For now, we remain open for adoptions, and this is a great way you can directly help needy animals. Following federal recommendations, we are limiting the number of visitors at all KHS locations, including at our East Campus adoption center (1000 Lyndon Lane) and Purrfect Day Café. If you arrive at East Campus and there are 10 people (including staff) at the adoption center, we will ask you to wait in your car until current guests leave. Purrfect Day Café is limiting visitors to 6. Purrfect Day Café requires appointments, which can be made online. At our Feeders Supply adoption centers, we ask that you wait your turn (at a six-foot distance) to speak to the adoption counselor. Again, this could change, so please check our website before visiting a KHS location.

A few things to remember when visiting a KHS adoption center:

  • Stay home if you are sick, coughing, sneezing or feverish. For everyone’s safety, no exceptions!
  • If you plan on coming to adopt, thank you! We have wonderful animals looking for forever homes. But please be patient if our staff ask you to wait in your car or come back at another time. View adoptable dogs and adoptable cats and their locations.
  • If you just want to just look around or say “hi” to the animals, do not visit.
  • Please respect personal space. We are choosing social distancing whenever possible.

 

VOLUNTEER UPDATE

We are suspending volunteering at all KHS locations except our Willow Hope Farm and in our foster homes. It pains us to do this but to protect everyone’s health, we think this is the best option at the moment. Equine volunteers are excluded because social distancing is easier at the farm and we have fragile foals who need frequent feedings. We are grateful for our 200+ foster families who are providing a safe and warm place for many of our young and delicate animals.

 

URGENT NEED – DONATIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic is going to impact us financially. We are anticipating a significant loss of revenue in every category, which will harm our ability to care for needy animals.

  • Event revenue. We are having to postpone fundraising events to keep our community safe.
  • Adoption revenue. We anticipate fewer adoptions and thus less revenue to care for animals.
  • Purrfect Day Café. We have canceled all dog training classes.
  • S.N.I.P. Clinic. We remain committed to providing affordable spay/neuter services, and are reducing our surgery schedule to limit foot traffic and will have clients come into the building one by one.
  • Healthy Pets Clinic. While the clinic remains open for vaccines and preventatives, we are not providing diagnostics. nail trims or ear cleanings. We are requesting that clients check-in at the front desk and return to their cars until it’s time for our veterinary team to see their animals.
  • Eastpoint and Fern Creek Pet Resorts. Our Pet Resorts remain open, but we are experiencing cancellations as people’s travel plans change. We are changing Doggie Daycare and grooming drop-off procedures to curb-side check-in to reduce the number of people in the lobbies.
  • Individual gifts. Donations from individuals like you help keep our lights on, our animals fed and allow us to provide essential services to vulnerable animals. We have already seen a drop in donations. Can you help our animals with your gift? Every donation, large and small, is critically important for our animals! Donate Now

STAY UP-TO-DATE

To keep up-to-date on what’s happening at KHS in regards to COVID-19, and for tips on creating an emergency plan for your pet in case you become ill, please refer to this webpage, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @kyhumane.

Thank you for being a friend of the animals and a member of the KHS community. We are grateful for you, and we hope that you and your love ones remain well. Together, we will get through this!
Thank you for your compassion.

Lori Redmon
President & CEO
Kentucky Humane Society


March 13, 2020 update:

With confirmed cases of COVID-19 (a novel coronavirus that is spread person-to-person) on the rise, the Kentucky Humane Society is preparing for the impact this may have on the well-being of the animals in our care, our staff, volunteers and the communities we serve.

While information about the virus’s impact is changing almost daily, as of now, our services will continue as normal as possible, and we have increased our already strict protocols designed to limit disease transmission. We will communicate any new developments on this web page. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation together!

Emergency Pet Planning for Coronavirus

As communities respond to coronavirus, it is important to have plans for your pets as well as yourself. The virus has been identified in Kentucky, and to keep families together, we ask that you include your pets in plans you make in response to this emerging situation.

Can I Catch the Virus from My Pet or Vice Versa?

The Centers for Disease Control  and the World Organization for Animal Health have issued advisories saying there is no evidence that companion animals can contract or spread the virus and “there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare.”

What Happens to My Pet if I Get Sick?

Keep your pet home with you, avoid close contact and practice good hygiene. Make plans with family or friends or a pet boarding facility to care for your animals in case you are hospitalized. The CDC recommends the following: “You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just like you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. If you are sick with COVID-19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets and wear a facemask.”

How Can I Prepare in Case I Get Sick?

KHS encourages pet owners to have an emergency preparedness plan for their pets for whatever issue comes up, including illness. A pet emergency plan includes:

  • Identifying family members or friends who can care for your pets if you can no longer take care of your pet.
  • Having crates, pet food, leash/collar and extra supplies ready.
  • Making sure your pets’ vaccines are all up-to-date and you have a copy of the veterinary records, in case you need to board your animal. Pet boarding facilities typically require that incoming pets are current on vaccines.
  • If your pet is on medication or a prescription diet, have extra medication and food on hand and have dosages and administering instructions documented. Also include your veterinarian’s contact information.
  • Each pet should have a collar with an I.D. tag and should be micro-chipped.

How Can I Help the Animals at KHS?

The best way you can help the animals at KHS is to donate. KHS does not receive any government funds, and our lifesaving mission is funded solely by tax-deductible donations and the money we raise through services such as our Pet Resorts. We expect the economic uncertainty caused by coronavirus will impact us.

Is It Safe to Visit KHS?

Our work is critically important to animals and the people who love them. We are taking special precautions, including increased cleaning and disinfecting, not permitting any sick staff or volunteers to come to KHS, following CDC workplace guidelines, and adhering to our already stringent disease transmission prevention protocols. We want to take every reasonable precaution we can to protect the health of our staff, volunteers and community – while continuing our commitment to the needy dogs, cats and horses in our care.

Will KHS Events Continue?

Following recommendations by the Kentucky Governor’s Office and Louisville Mayor’s Office, we have made the decision to delay large events that were to take place before April 6. This includes new volunteer orientations, the open house at our Willow Hope Farm and our Kitten Shower.

What about Volunteering at KHS?

Our volunteers are vital to the well-being of our animals and are so appreciated by our staff. However, following the statewide decision to close schools, we have suspended Student Volunteering (under age 18) from March 14 through April 5. Healthy adult volunteers are welcome, but we strongly encourage older adult volunteers (starting at age 60) or those with serious underlying health conditions to not volunteer at this time.

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