General FAQs
FAQs: General
1. Did you get the message I left on the answering machine?
2. Why is the shelter open at such odd hours?
3. Why do I need to schedule an appointment to bring in an animal?
4. Is there a fee involved with surrendering an animal to HCACF?
5. I’ve lost a pet—what do I do?!
6. My friend/relative got their pet spayed/neutered at the shelter; can I get mine spayed/neutered there?
7. Do you euthanize animals? How long do you keep them before they’re euthanized?
8. I have a very sick pet that I need euthanized; can HCACF euthanize it for me?
9. I have several cats/dogs that I need to trap. Do you have any traps available?
10. I borrowed a trap and I caught an opossum/raccoon/skunk/wild animal! What do I do?
11. What do I do with an opossum/raccoon/skunk/wild animal that is stuck in/under my attic/house/garage/deck?
12. I have noticed a sick/neglected/abandoned horse at someone’s farm, what can I do?
13. Why can’t HCACF handle issues with livestock, exotic pets, or wildlife?
14. I heard you can get free pet food at the shelter. Is that true?
1. Q: Did you get the message I left on the answering machine? A: Yes, we check the answering machine every morning and periodically throughout the day if we have been too busy to answer the phone. If you have left a message regarding a complaint or about an animal to be picked up, the Animal Control Officer will be contacting you for more information about your complaint or the animal you want picked up. If you left a message about scheduling an appointment to bring an animal in or to ask about an available or lost animal, we will give you a call back within 24 hours. You do not need to call again or leave a duplicate message on the answering machine!
2. Q: Why is the shelter open at such odd hours?
A: The staff cleans all the cages and kennels from 10am until the shelter opens for viewing the animals at 2:30. You are more than welcome to stop by anytime after 10am if you just have a quick question. If you want to view the adoptable animals, please stop by when we are open to the public. Our hours are Mon.-Fri. 2:30-5:30 and Sat. 11-2. We are closed Sundays. If you have an animal to surrender to the shelter, please call us at 738-8163 to schedule an appointment.
3. Q: Why do I need to schedule an appointment to bring in an animal?
A: We do not have unlimited space, so we schedule appointments to ensure that we have room for animals brought to the shelter. It is also to avoid having more than one animal in our lobby at one time. Since many animals brought here are strays, it is unknown if they get along with other dogs or cats. It’s best to schedule an appointment to avoid harm to the animals, staff, and yourself!
4. Q: Is there a fee involved with surrendering an animal to HCACF?
A: No, you just need to schedule an appointment. When you arrive for your appointment, we have an owner release form for you to fill out. This form must be filled out even if the animal in a stray.
5. Q: I’ve lost a pet—what do I do?!
A: You can call us at 738-8163 or stop by during our hours that we’re open to the public (Mon.-Fri. 2:30-5:30 or Sat. 11-2) and see if we have your pet. If not, you can fill out a LOST form (over the phone or in person) for the pet. If an animal is surrendered to the shelter that matches the description of the pet you have lost, we will immediately give you a call. After a month, the form will be automatically removed from the file. If you find your pet, please call and let us know so we can remove the form from our file. We also have a bulletin board in our lobby that you can post a flyer if you’d like. Flyers are also removed after a month. If your pet is here at the shelter, you need to bring in proof that your pet is up to date on its rabies vaccine. You can have your veterinarian fax this information to us. Our fax number is 738-7079. If your pet is not up to date on its rabies vaccine, we are required to administer the shot (a $20 fee will be charged) to the animal before it goes back home. We waive the boarding/impoundment fine for the first time the animal is brought here to the shelter. After that there will be a fee involved for you to get it back every time that the animal is caught and brought to the shelter. Please be aware that we are only required to hold a stray animal, that we believe has an owner, for 7 days. If your pet has been missing for more than 7 days and was possibly at the shelter, it may have been adopted by someone else.
6. Q: My friend/relative got their pet spayed/neutered at the shelter; can I get mine spayed/neutered there?
A: The various veterinarians in the county spay and neuter pets. Some of them may offer discounted prices or have programs for spaying/neutering pets. Many of these programs are advertised in the Corydon Democrat newspaper. Please contact your vet or check the newspaper regularly to learn more. If you are interested in applying for a voucher to have your pet spayed/neutered at a reduced price, the number to call is 969-2615. You will most likely get an answering machine at this number, so just leave your information on your message. Vouchers generally take 2 weeks to arrive. If you do not receive your voucher before your pet is spayed or neutered, you are required to pay the full price of the surgery at the time services are rendered. Most veterinarians will accept the voucher once you receive it. They will probably send you a reimbursement or credit the amount to your account (depending on what you decide with your veterinarian). Payments for treatments, surgeries, etc. can be discussed with your veterinarian. HCACF makes no guarantees about any veterinary practices’ policies. The animal shelter is NOT a veterinary practice—we do not offer any treatments, surgeries, or vaccinations. Contact your own veterinarian to set an appointment with them. If you do not have a veterinarian yet, most of them are listed in the phonebook.
7. Q: Do you euthanize animals? How long do you keep them before they are euthanized?
A: HCACF is not a no-kill shelter. When an animal is surrendered to us, we hold it for at least 5 days. During those days, the staff observes the animal to make sure it is healthy and shows no signs of aggression. Sick animals cannot be treated at our facility, so they are euthanized. Even if we had the funding to treat them, keeping them runs the risk of spreading diseases to the other healthy pets. Animals that have showed any sign of aggression cannot be adopted from the shelter. They are euthanized to keep the staff, visitors, volunteers, and other animals safe. After the wait (quarantine) period, the animal is moved to the adoption floor. There is no set time for how long the animal remains on the adoption floor. We try to give them all a fair chance at being adopted, and our foster program helps with this. Please be aware that HCACF makes no claims, guarantees, or representations whatsoever regarding the behavior, temperament, or health of animals put up for adoption.
8. Q: I have a very sick pet that I need euthanized; can HCACF euthanize it for me?
A: The animal shelter is NOT a veterinary practice—we do not offer any treatments, surgeries, or vaccinations. Contact your own veterinarian to set an appointment with them. If you do not have a veterinarian yet, most of them are listed in the phonebook.
9. Q: I have several cats/dogs that I need to trap. Do you have any traps available?
A: Yes, we have humane animal traps you can borrow for up to 2 weeks. Please call beforehand so that we make sure to reserve one for you. We have large traps for dogs and smaller ones for cats. There is usually a small wait list for the cat traps. You will need to bring a photo ID with you when you borrow a trap from us. When you catch the animal, call before you bring it in to make sure we have room for it, or if you require assistance with the trap, give us a call at 738-8163 and our animal control officer will stop by and pick up the trapped animal.
10. Q: I borrowed a trap and I caught an opossum/raccoon/skunk/wild animal! What do I do?
A: If you have caught a wild animal in a trap borrowed from HCACF, let us know and our animal control officer will stop by to release it for you. DO NOT try to release the animal yourself! If you have caught a wild animal in your own personal trap, please call nuisance wildlife control at (812)347-3297.
11. Q: What do I do with an opossum/raccoon/skunk/wild animal that is stuck in/under my attic/house/garage/deck?
A: You need to contact nuisance wildlife control at (812)347-3297. They specialize in removing wild animals from residences.
12. Q: I have noticed a sick/neglected/abandoned horse at someone’s farm, what can I do?
A: You can contact the Equine Rescue League of Southern Indiana at (812)293-4077, (812)967-7509 or (812) 844-8000. They are the only contact HCACF has for issues pertaining to horses at this time.
13. Q: Why can’t HCACF handle issues with livestock, exotic pets, or wildlife?
A: HCACF is only authorized to handle issues with domestic dogs and cats. We don’t have the facilities to accommodate any other types of animals. There are plenty of dogs and cats in Harrison County to keep us busy!
14. Q: I heard you can get free pet food at the shelter. Is that true?
A: No, we use to provide free food but we where forced to discontinue this program. The supplier was forced to make changes when the economic situation chaged in our world.