PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - Rachel Anderson probably wasn’t Steven’s first human. Nor was Steven her first dog.
But the 3-year-old pitbull mix and the Trigg County teacher hit it off immediately as soon as the McCracken County Humane Society doors swung open April 21.
Between the oh-my-goshes and you’re-so-cutes, the dog treated her bracelets like a chew toy, and after endless face-licking and ear-scratching, Anderson found time to sign the adoption papers.
“It feels right,” said Anderson, who previously had to re-home her husky because she couldn’t spend enough time with it.
“Since I’m working less now, I’ll have more time to spend with an animal.”
Anderson said when she returns to work in the fall her hours will be different, so she expects to keep spending plenty of time with Steven.
As more adults and children stay home due to restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, animal shelters across the country are emptying out, due both to higher adoption numbers than normal and significant restrictions on intake.
Terry Vannerson, who oversees McCracken’s facility, said Monday that more than 180 cats and dogs had been adopted since February. Only 12 animals are left in her kennels.
“It’s really been heartwarming,” Vannerson said, though Humane Society staff have much less interaction with adoptive families than they used to, and almost no one is allowed within the facility.
“They’re still adopting, coming to the front door. They’re picking (animals) out on the web, they fill all the paperwork out online, we put (the animals) out in the front in a crate, wave and say thank you.”
Anderson’s visit was different as she hadn’t made up her mind about adopting before the visit, but staff kept as much distance as possible while she interacted with Steven and they presented the paperwork for her to sign.
Vannerson said she’s been pleased with how the system has worked, and some potential adopters may be turned off by meeting an animal for the first time inside a kennel.
“Some dogs don’t present well in the kennel,” Vannerson said. “If they pick some out of a picture and we bring them out, then they make the decision.”
She said even after the pandemic concerns ease, she hopes to continue driving traffic to online galleries and set up meetings by appointment where the dogs can meet their potential new families outside.
Since the pandemic is expected to ease - though there’s significant uncertainty about when society will return to normal - Vannerson said she and her staff have to make sure people know what they’re getting into before they adopt.
“One day they’re going to go back to work. Do they have a plan for what they’re going to do with their animal when they go back to work?” she said.
“Are they going to have enough money to handle the dog and get it its vet care?”
Anderson said she plans to give Stephen plenty of exercise, as she lives near Land Between the Lakes.
“I like to do a lot of outdoorsy things,” she said.
“It will be nice to have a companion that I don’t have to stay 6 feet away from.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.