Harrison County Kentucky Shelter Has Turned a Corner

If we had visited the Harrison County Flora Shropshire Animal Shelter in Cynthiana, Kentucky, a year ago, we might have heard a very different story. A change of administration under Judge Executive Jason Marshall and the hiring of co-managers Jessica and Megan have put this little shelter on a much different path.

A core of excellent volunteers worked together to freshen up the 40-year-old shelter building with a new logo, fresh paint, and clean, orderly spaces. They also brought a new attitude and energy.

One key change to getting more volunteers and more adoptions was expanding weekend hours. Now the shelter is closed on Tuesdays, but open to the public on the other weekdays from 10-4 and on Saturday and Sunday from 10-2.

The shelter began another popular program called, Borrow a Buddy. Anyone (who has applied and been approved) can come borrow a dog for the day (much like checking out a book from the library). The program has been so popular that there have been days when the shelter is nearly empty, with all the residents out for a trip to Starbucks for a pup cup or a hike with a resident. The success of this program has led the shelter to redefine its foster program.

They’ve started a new program called Coffee with Cats that will invite the public to come in on a Saturday morning to have coffee and donuts in the cat room with the kitties.

Jessica, a former zookeeper who currently runs a boarding business, calls her ‘part-time’ job as a shelter manager a ‘passion project,’ admits to being at the shelter many more than the 22 hours she’s paid for.

Megan is just as committed, having grown up in Cynthiana and volunteered at the shelter for the last few years until Bubby Northcutt, a magistrate for the county (who came to the shelter for our visit!) twisted her arm and Jessica begged her to join the staff as the other co-manager.

The two women work well together, trading ideas and talking through shelter decisions as a team. It’s a new model we haven’t seen before but one that makes a lot of sense. Being the director of a shelter is stressful on a day-to-day basis, and the hard decisions that land on their shoulders can be a lot to bear. Having someone to share it with likely makes it a little less hard on a heart.

While we were visiting, the shelter was bustling. A Cedar Ridge Elder Care facility van pulled in, bringing a handful of residents to visit the animals. They were led into the cat and kitten area and spent time cuddling felines before venturing outside to visit with some of the most friendly and well-mannered dogs. I imagine a program like this could be possible at every shelter, enriching the lives of the community and the animals.

The shelter’s welcoming energy was contagious. Jessica and Megan are constantly working on ways to improve the shelter, like moving their records into a shelter software system, starting a microchip program, and inviting a mobile spay/neuter van to come to the area.

Veterinary access has been their biggest challenge. Currently, they have to wait up to three months for spay/neuter appointments. They’ve created a contract for puppy and kitten adopters to ensure they are altered when appropriate and have followed up and tracked down people who didn’t comply with it. They allow unaltered animals to be adopted with a contract on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether the dogs currently in the home are altered.

The shelter moves more dogs through adoption than rescue but relies on a few local rescues to take some of their animals. They get a lot of help with moving animals and with shelter projects from local organizations like the Scott County Humane Society – “For Pets’ Sake”, LIFE House for Animals, Humane Society of Harrison County KY, and Hope Fur Homes.

Here are their numbers for 2024:

The Shelter has 33 kennels and 4 quarantine kennels. Each morning, the dogs are moved out to a series of long runs for cleaning and can stay out for the day if the weather permits. The dogs in ‘friend groups’ go out together.

I asked Megan and Jessica about what is needed to improve the situation for animals in Harrison County. They agreed that cultural and generational change is needed but acknowledged that some of it is also financial. Spay and neuter, even at a low-cost option, is still between $50 and $150 per surgery, which is out of reach for plenty of people who would get their animals fixed if they could afford it.

We’ve spent a lot of time in municipal Kentucky shelters. Kentucky is unique in that the responsibility for the shelter falls under the Judge Executive and the Fiscal Court. In many counting, depending on the personalities that are elected to those positions, the care and attitude toward shelter animals can wax and wane. The current Judge Executive had volunteered at the shelter walking dogs before he was elected. That little bit of involvement goes a long way toward understanding the needs of the shelter.

Bubbie, one of the members of the fiscal court, who was on hand for our visit shared how happy officials are with the changes that Megan and Jessica have brought to the shelter.

Any Kentucky community that values its animals should insist on finding out where any candidate for the job stands when it comes to animals.

They are also working on local ordinances with Todd Blevins, the Kentucky director for HSUS, to cut down on backyard breeding and developing a program for the community that allows the shelter to assist in spay/neuters for low income households. The first Spay/neuter clinic is scheduled for February, and it will happen every three months after that.

The Harrison County Flora Shropshire Animal Shelter has turned a corner and started a new chapter thanks to a community that voted for and are now invested in the shelter’s success.

It’s a model for any county frustrated with the conditions or the practices of their current shelter. While there are still hurdles to jump in terms of veterinary access for spay and neuter, our visit was inspiring. Harrison County is blessed to have leadership who cares about its animals, shelter staff who are passionate and committed to their work, and who welcome and enable help from their community.

If you’d like to support the work of Harrison County Flora Shropshire Animal Shelter, consider shopping their Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2HKHKNC6F79F3

Until each one has a home,

Cara

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