Igor the 2-year-old Pit Bull/Husky Mix is KBOE’s Pet of the Week. He was brought into Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter with Taz, the Brindle Pit Bull mix that was our last featured Pet of the Week. Taz is still available for adoption as of Feb. 22, 2018, according to reps from the shelter.
To learn more about Igor or Taz, call the shelter at 641-673-3991.
Update: Lancelot the Hemingway Cat, our featured Pet of the Week on Thursday, Feb, 8, 2018, has been adopted. Thank you to everyone that “Liked” or “Shared” our Facebook posts. You helped to find him his fur-ever home.
About Stephen Memorial (from their website)
The Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter (SMAS) is a smaller animal shelter located in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Built in 1991, the original facility’s sole purpose was to serve as a “pound” for stray animals in Mahaska County. As with most animal impound facilities, animals that were not adopted or claimed after 7 days were euthanized. Since then, the SMAS has evolved beyond the old “pound” ideology.
In 2011, the SMAS stopped euthanizing animals for space and started looking for alternatives to euthanasia. Through partnerships with other shelters and breed rescues, as well as programs aimed at increasing the adoptability of the animals in their care, the SMAS went from a dismal live release rate of 40{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} (meaning 40{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} of the animals taken in leave the shelter alive) to a live release rate of 93{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}. In may of 2014, we celebrated our first month of a 100{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} live release rate, a milestone we are very proud of.
The SMAS is NOT a no-kill shelter, and we accept any animal for any reason regardless of their temperament or health. Despite this, we are still able to maintain a euthanasia rate of less than 8{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}.
In addition to taking in and rehoming stray, abandoned, abused, and otherwise homeless animals, the SMAS, in partnership with the Mahaska Humane Society, has developed programming aimed to educate the community and promoting responsible pet ownership. Some of these programs include visits to the elementary school to teach dog bite prevention, brining dogs to the local university during finals week as stress relief for students, visiting nursing home and retirement facilities for “pet therapy”, and helping low-income residents of Mahaska County get their pet spayed/neutered through our “Spay the County” program.
