A look inside Roice-Hurst Humane Society: programs and services for pets and their owners

Story By: Manasi Bhambure, Hometown Highlight Editor

Photos By: Noah Turbyfill

The Roice-Hurst Humane Society (RHHS) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. What began as a makeshift shelter in a chicken coop has evolved into an essential resource for homeless animals and pet owners in the community. The organization’s founding was born out of a lack of resources and concern for the welfare of animals.

The RHHS has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Today, the organization offers several programs and services to support animals and their owners. The shelter provides a safe and comfortable environment for homeless animals, including medical care, food, and socialization. Prospective pet owners can visit an interact with the animals though the adoption program to find their perfect match.

The Roice-Hurst Humane Society offers various programs and services for pets and their owners. The organization primarily focuses on providing a safe and comfortable shelter for homeless animals, where they can receive medical care, food, and socialization. Adoption services are also available, where prospective owners can visit and interact with the animals to find their perfect match.

Apart from their adoption program, RHHS offers a pet retention program, which provides support and resources to pet owners who are experiencing challenges in keeping their pets. This program aims to prevent pets from being surrendered to the shelter by offering assistance with issues such as behavior problems, medical issues, and housing challenges.

The shelter also provides spay/neuter services for cats and dogs, which are designed to reduce pet overpopulation and prevent euthanasia due to lack of space in the shelter. The low-cost spay/neuter program is available to low-income pet owners and is a crucial part of the organization’s efforts to create a more humane community.

The RHHS’s spay/neuter services are another critical component of their efforts to create a more humane community. The low-cost program is available to low-income pet owners and is designed to reduce pet overpopulation and prevent euthanasia due to lack of space in the shelter. Volunteers are essential to the RHHS’s success, and the organization offers a robust volunteer program, according to Kretschman, “We do have a lot of college kids who just miss their pets at home and want some dog snuggles or to pet some cats. We don’t schedule our volunteers so you can come in for even just 10 minutes or even a couple hours, it’s really flexible.” Volunteers can assist with various tasks such as walking dogs, socializing cats, cleaning kennels, and helping with events. The organization also offers opportunities for individuals to foster animals until they can be adopted.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for the organization, but RHHS has adapted its adoption process to comply with social distancing guidelines. Prospective pet owners can now schedule an appointment to visit the pet shelter and meet the animals. The RHHS has also seen an increase in pet surrenders due to economic hardship, which has made its pet retention program even more crucial. “We actually expanded our foster program at the start of the pandemic, it was that one week in March of 2020 when everything just kind of hit all at once, we put out a call for foster homes and received about 200 applications from people who were just willing to open their homes for for foster animals.”

Despite these challenges, the RHHS has continued to provide essential services to the community. Their dedication to improving animal welfare and promoting the human-animal bond has had a significant impact. “I adopted my dog from the RHHS and it’s definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made, the staff is incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the
adoption process and I can tell that they genuinely care about these animals. My dog has brought so much joy and love into my home and I truly couldn’t be happier about giving him a second chance at a happier life,” said one happy adoptee.

The Roice-Hurst Humane Society is a vital resource for the Grand Junction community. Their dedication to improving animal welfare and promoting the human-animal bond has had a significant impact on the community. The organization’s services, such as their adoption program, spay/neuter services, and pet retention program, provide critical support to pet owners and homeless animals.

Furthermore, the RHHS’s volunteer program and educational efforts help to create a more compassionate and responsible community. Donations, volunteers, and community partnerships are essential to the organization’s success.