The Ionia County Animal Shelter: A Haven for Animals

Giving animals a second chance at life is a normal day for Carly Quinn, the director of the Ionia County Animal Shelter.

“We intake and rescue domestic animals, provide them with the necessary medical care and behavioral resources, and we find new homes for them in our community,” said Quinn.

When a new dog or cat arrives at the shelter, Quinn and her staff provide testing and evaluation of the animal.

“We do our best to determine that the animal is behaviorally and medically sound and that it does not present any significant issues that could impede their adoptability,” she said.

The shelter follows a strict procedure with each new animal to make sure that the dog or cat will be a suitable pet for a new owner.

“First, we interview the old owner in order to find out whether there are any behavioral issues with the animal and to determine whether it has any special needs,” said Quinn. “We then provide the animal with vaccinations, we eliminate any worms or fleas, and we provide any other medical treatments that the animal may need.”

The dogs and cats are spayed and neutered, fully vaccinated, and come with a microchip that is implanted in the animal with the new owner’s information in case the animal were to become lost.

“Spaying and neutering is essential as it assures that the animal will not contribute to the population of unwanted animals,” said Quinn.

People who adopt an animal from the shelter may be confident that the dog or cat is healthy and that it has been assessed on whether it gets along with adult people, with small children, and with other animals. If the shelter determines that the animal has behavioral specifications, these details are disclosed to the potential adopters.

“We are very careful in our evaluation of the animals that we take-in,” said Quinn. “We want to be confident that they will make for a good pet and that they will not create any problems for the new owner.”

Once an animal is cared for and approved by the shelter, the shelter advertises the dog or cat on the shelter’s website and on its Facebook page. People may then apply to adopt the animal.

“We not only look out for the new owners of the animals, but we also look out for the animal itself,” said Quinn. “We do this by interviewing and evaluating the prospective owner. We want to make sure that the animal will be safe and well cared-for in its new home. We want to be confident that we are not setting-up the animal for failure.”

Quinn finds that sheltering animals and finding new homes for them is a very satisfying job.

“It’s a pleasure to take-in a needy animal and to provide it with tender loving care,” she said. “I enjoy seeing the animals respond well to good treatment and I enjoy helping them to find a new, loving home.”

Quinn recommends the adoption of dogs and cats to other members of the community.

“People who adopt an animal not only rescue an animal, but the dog or cat that they adopt might just wind up rescuing them,” she said. “The animal may fill a void in their life and become a beneficial addition to their family. An animal can indeed become a special friend that is worthy of human love.”

The shelter also offers opportunities for community members to volunteer there.

The Ionia County Animal Shelter

3853 Sparrow Drive

Ionia, MI 49946

Telephone: (616) 527-9040

Hours

Tuesday – Friday 11 am to 6 pm

Website: ICAS.PET

Courtesy photos.