A non-profit animal shelter, the Butler County Humane Society (BCHS) has been serving the Butler community for more than 100 years, converting to a no-kill shelter in 2000.
The BCHS is not supported by county taxpayer dollars as the name leads many to believe. The Society does have contracts with some local municipalities for pick up and care of stray animals that represents about 5 percent of our 2013 annual budget. Surrender and adoption fees made up another 20 percent.
We are dependent upon private donations for survival. The bulk of the Society’s funding – about 75 percent – comes from the generosity of area pet lovers through bequests, monetary donations and support of our many fundraising events.
When an animal arrives at our facility, it receives vaccinations. After the mandatory 48 hours, the animals are screened for disease. The heath care administered by a veterinarian can range in costs upwards from about $60 per dog and $55 a cat. The animals then are implanted with a microchip and spayed/neutered, which costs up to $100 an animal.
Those costs represent just the physical care for the1,000-plus animals the Society helps each year. The goal is to ensure that each animal receives the medical treatment necessary to become available for adoption, but we also make certain they receive social and emotional help.
All of our animals have been through a difficult experience. Losing their former home and ending up at the shelter is not easy for any animal. These animals are bewildered and often go through a grieving process for their former owners. It’s that caring and tenderness provided by our staff that helps shelter animals through their initial stages of fear, confusion, and loss.
While not the same as a loving home, the BCHS strives to establish a routine for the animals that is vital is helping them adjust to their new situation. Through training, foster, and volunteer programs, BCHS helps the animals begin to understand what is expected when interacting with people. Mostly what the animals need is patience, understanding, and time to adjust to their new surroundings.
We have a dedicated corps of volunteers, who give freely of their time to help our animals achieve a “furever” home. Without them, our animals would not receive the individualized care and attention they deserve. But volunteers can only give so much. With that, we maintain a staff of 16 people in order to ensure that our animals are receiving the care and attention needed.
The BCHS staff are deeply dedicated to every animal that comes through our shelter doors. Our staff has a unique love and understanding of these abandoned, neglected and unwanted dogs and cats that are dropped off daily to our facility.
BCHS also comes to the rescue when community members call after finding a sick or injured stray animal. These caring people know our furry friends need immediate veterinary care, but few people can afford to take a stray animal to a clinic for emergency care. Because of the enormous need, we established an Emergency Medical Fund in 2007 to help defray the costs for veterinary care. The poor economy has led to more people being unable to care for their pets and more abandoned animals. The fund is entirely supported through community donations and fundraising. The care of these particular animals can cost anywhere between $50 to $1,000.
But here at the BCHS, we strive to do more to meet the needs of the animals in the community.
As one can see, BCHS works hard to serve a great need within the community. The shelter depends upon the kindness of our community and their love of animals to protect and care for the many unwanted, neglected and abused animals of Butler County. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information as needed.
Create an alert and get notified with newly adoptable pets that meet your criteria.
1015 Evans City Road
Renfrew, PA 16053
Create an alert and get notified with newly adoptable pets that meet your criteria.
This shelter doesn’t have any adoptable pets right now – check out adoptable pets nearby or start a custom pet search below.
The Butler County Humane Society serves all of Butler County Pennsylvania. We provide a safe place for the strays of Butler County to stay until they are reunited with their owners or until they find their forever home.
Additional adoption info
Adoption Policy
• Adult cats over 4 months: $60.00
• Kittens under 4 months: $100.00
• Dog who have been here more than 6 months: $60.00
• Adult dogs over 6 months: $100.00
• Puppies under 6 months: $125.00
• All Dogs and Cats over 5 years old: $50.00
(All puppies under 6 months require mandatory obedience, which is a $50.00 deposit. Upon completion of a training course, and providing us with a copy of the certificate, this deposit will be refunded. You will have 90 days from the time of adoption to complete a training course at the location of your choice. Select older dogs may require it as well. This is NOT included in the original adoption price.)
We require 2 visits to be made before allowing an animal to be adopted. Your first official visit occurs when you fill out and turn in the adoption application. Your second visit must happen within 48 hours of the first, but not the same day. We reserve the right to require more than 2 visits. You may take an application with you to fill out, but your application is not official until it is submitted to the staff at the front desk.
Adopters living in Butler County adopting a dog will be required to purchase a dog license. All dogs 3 months and over require a license. Licenses are $6.95 for a spayed/neutered dog, and $8.95 for an unspayed/unneutered dog. Any dog you currently own must have a current dog license. If you do not have a current license you may purchase one for your current dog at the time of adoption.
If you are under 21 years of age you cannot meet any pet out of the cage or fill out adoption papers for any animal unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
All current pets, dogs or cats, must have a current rabies vaccine administered by a veterinarian.
Adopters who are interested in adopting a dog and already have a dog(s) at home must bring it/them into the shelter to meet the new dog before an adoption can take place. All dogs must have proof of rabies vaccination administered by a vet before an introduction can take place. We can call your vet or you can provide a rabies certificate but tags alone are not sufficient proof of a current rabies vaccine.
Adopters who are renting will need to bring a lease showing they are allowed to have a pet, and we need to speak to the landlord and get their approval for the adoption.
All members of the household must come in to meet the animal. Some exceptions may be made at the discretion of BCHS staff with adults who cannot make it into the shelter to meet the animal. Under no circumstances do we adopt out pets as gifts.
No animal adopted from the BCHS will be an outdoor animal. This is stated in the contract. We have a right to make one or more home visits within 6 months of the adoption.
Adopters who are interested in declawing need to choose a cat that is already declawed or a kitten 4 months old or younger to ensure they will have time to get them to the vet at the appropriate age for declawing.
We are unable to adopt to college students living in dorms or multiple student housing such as fraternities/sororities and rental units.
P.O. Box 1371,
Aliquippa,
PA
15001
6329 Market Street,
Boardman,
OH
44512
P.O. Box 23414,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15222
HeARTs Speak develops resources that help shelter animals to be seen and find homes, ultimately transforming public perceptions of pet adoption, shelters, and animals in need. Each year our work helps nearly 1 million pets in your community and beyond.
Learn moreThere is a tremendous need for new methods of sterilization that are faster, easier, more accessible, and less expensive than surgery. ACC&D works tirelessly to bring together key stakeholders to advance this field.
Learn moreEvery day, Animal Legal Defense Fund works to enact tougher animal cruelty laws, provide care and legal assistance for animal victims of cruelty, offer rewards to bring abusers to justice, and provide free legal assistance to prosecutors and law enforcement to put abusers behind bars.
Learn more