Ready for a new, fun and furry friend?
It's National Adopt-A-Pet Month
By Katherine Houstoun CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This adorable black and white kitten was adopted from the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter last week, but there are plenty more dogs and cats, both young and old, waiting for a good home. To see some of the animals now available for adoption, turn to page 20.

The month of October may be associated most often with ghouls, goblins and witches, but it's also a good time to focus on much less fearsome creatures, including man's best friend.

It's National Adopt-A-Pet Month, which provides a fitting opportunity to re-examine the presence - or absence - of canines and felines in your own home. Should you find yourself in need of a new furry friend, look no farther than the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter.

Last year, the shelter found homes for about 1,600 animals, in addition to turning over about 700 four-legged creatures to local rescue organizations, including the Richmond SPCA, the Richmond Animal League and breed-specific groups.

Of the almost 5,200 animals that came through the shelter in 2006, most of them were dogs and cats - with an occasional hamster or horse thrown in for good measure.

Pet 204 4 months old Male Orange cat

"We have every variety of animal that God made come through this shelter, from the purebred to what I call the Chesterfield All-American," said Nancy Brown, the president of the Chesterfield County Humane Society, which works closely with the animal shelter. "We have all ages, all sizes and all colors."

While many of the shelter's inhabitants are picked up off the street by the county's animal control officers and concerned citizens, a significant number of the animals are pets whose owners can no longer keep them. About a third of the animals that came through the shelter last year were surrendered by previous owners.

"What people need to realize is the dog didn't bring itself here," explained Brown, who has volunteered with the humane society since 1996. "There are a lot of reasons dogs come into the shelter - death, illness, moving. They are wonderful dogs that have been well-loved by people, and sometimes, by circumstances they can't control, they end up here."

That also holds true for many of the cats and other animals that find themselves at the shelter.

Pet G-233 2 years old Female Gray/white cat

Petseekers can investigate their adoption options by visiting the shelter (9300 Public Works Rd.), by attending bimonthly adoption events held at PetSmart (12264 Chattanooga Plaza, off Hull Street Road) or by logging on to www.petfinder.com.

The Chesterfield Humane Society hosts the PetSmart adoption events every other Saturday, averaging about 10-15 pet adoptions per event. In addition to working through the adoption process with potential pet owners, volunteers also provide information on training and caring for the animals, even going so far as to take adopters shopping inside the store.

"We provide all of the basic education in order for that dog [or cat] to stay in that home and for the owner to be happy and to feel that the pet is a part of their family," said Brown. "The best thing we're seeing from the educational component is the dog [or cat] is not coming back to the shelter. That means he or she has found a home, and they are happy in that home."

Pet adopters must be 18 years old or older, a resident of Chesterfield County or an adjacent political subdivision and free of convictions of animal cruelty, neglect or abandonment. They also must sign a contract promising to have the animal spayed or neutered by a specific date - within 30 days for adult animals, longer for younger pets. Adoptions cost $10, plus a $30 deposit on animals that have not yet been spayed or neutered. The $30 will be deducted from the veterinarian bill once the procedure has been completed.

Pet P-138 8 weeks old Female Husky mix

New this year is the senior citizen pet sterilization voucher, which provides citizens 55 years old and older a $30 voucher to help cover the cost of the spaying or neutering procedure.

"Companion animals help senior citizens with quality of life," said Chesterfield County Animal Control Manager Alice Berry. "As we all get older, we're worried about meeting our monthly bills, so that voucher kind of helps. They put their $30 down, and we give them $30, so now they have $60. At some clinics, this would take care of the entire bill."

Before you head off to the shelter to find a new companion, Brown recommends doing a little research.

Pet Q-151 7 weeks old Male Lab/hound mix

"Do your homework and look at general traits or characteristics of the dog [or cat] that you're interested in," she said. "Then, when you get here, we'll tell you everything we know about the animal's temperament, personality, activity level. We're hoping to make that perfect match between the animal and the person."

Ready to adopt?

The animals on this page and many others are available for adoption. The animal shelter is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from noon-4 p.m. The next PetSmart adoption event will be held on Oct. 27 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Call 748-1683 for more information.

Pet G-234 2 years old Female Russian Blue Pet I-271 8 months old Male Hound/St. Bernard mix Pet P-140 3 months old Female Beagle Pet Q-149 7 weeks old Female Spaniel mix