Critters waiting months for home at local animal shelter

Arianna Gordon
Contributing Writer

According to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), small animals, such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits, are much less likely to be adopted than dogs and cats. Franklin County Animal Shelter (FCAS) is sadly no stranger to this fact.

“We have a lot of people come here specifically looking for [older cats and dogs],” Holly Kresge, a kennel technician at FCAS said. “And [pit bulls] actually move pretty fast around here.” Though FCAS is able to defy the odds when it comes to finding homes for older animals and breeds commonly misconceptualized as “aggressive,” they’ve been unable to escape the statistics surrounding smaller animals.

“Rodents move slow,” Kresge said in reference to an intact adult male guinea pig that’s been with them since August of 2022. “We had five [guinea pigs of the same litter], and now we’re down to one.”

They also have two litter box-trained adult female rabbits, Lady Tremaine and Bellflower, who have been waiting patiently to be noticed by a potential adoptee.

“The socialization of a rat or a rabbit is equally important to that of a dog or cat,” Jeff Okazaki from the Humane Society of Jefferson County enunciates in an online interview with HSUS.

When asked what kinds of homes their current small animals would be looking for, Kresge from FCAS answered without hesitation. “Bellflower loves everybody.” She is looking for an indoor-only life and is great with other animals. The shelter’s website also states that Bellflower “loves to be pet,” is, “okay with being held,” and “does well for nail trims and grooming in general.” Lady Tremaine is a bit more on the feisty side. She is, “slowly but surely warming up to humans and will allow gentle nose boops.”

FCAS wants someone that can give her time and patience.

Leslie Ingraham of The Daily Wag! says that, “For some, aggression is [a shelter animal’s] way of protecting themselves, but it can usually be overcome with some extra care and attention.” Grove is the name of the aforementioned guinea pig and he’s been with the shelter for over half a year. Kresge said that he is looking for a home that can give him his own space with a cage for himself. A look at the shelter’s website will show Grove in Santa attire from this past holiday season—one in which he sadly had yet to receive the gift of a loving home. Doctor Natalie Weekes from the York County SPCA claims that, “People don’t realize how interactive these animals can be. They run and play and act like cats and dogs.”

If you’re looking to adopt any of these aforementioned animals, please contact Franklin County Animal Shelter through their phone number of (207) 778 - 2638, or stop by during their public visiting hours of Monday through Saturday from noon to 4p.m. FCAS would love nothing more than to see their little critters given more of a chance in people’s minds and hearts when thinking of giving a shelter animal another chance at life.