On the third Saturday of each month, the Wood County Humane Society and its volunteers organize an “Adopt-a-Thon” at the local Petco on Main Street in Bowling Green with some different breeds of dogs for adoption. Annual fund raising events include the Mutt Strut, a walk-a-thon raising money for the WCHS taking place at Ft. Meigs Memorial Park in Perrysburg, or a Wine and Cheese benefit in July. Both benefits raise money to take care of the animals at the shelter while they reside in WCHS’ care. Vet expenses, food, cleaning supplies, all of these expenses add up extremely quickly. Grants only support less than half of their operating budget, so they hold large events such as these for fundraising as well as sell t-shirts and cookbooks, charge small adoption fees, and sell memberships that include a newsletter for your contribution. These things help maintain the shelter and its employees to continue to operate here in Bowling Green.

The shelter itself is large, and consists of many different rooms. Two of these rooms are what are known as the cat room, a perfect environment for these animals! Sitting on the floor brings around five or more cats by your side, loving and purring extremely loud.

Once outside you can meet dogs of several different breeds, but each one just as excited as the next to meet you. In rooms not open to the public, they currently home a ferret and a bunny, just waiting to be adopted and loved. And volunteering helps each and every one of these animals in a different way. Whether it’s providing a clean environment for them, or helping them feel loved, there is a difference being made in their lives.