Saving Lives, One Paw at a Time

Story by Dawn Nolan

Photography by Mary Baldwin and courtesy of GHS

745 adoptions. 416 sent to rescue. 82 returned home. In total, that equals 1,243 animals, out of 1,408 that the Greenbrier Humane Society (GHS) saved last year alone.

“The last several years have been a trying time for animal welfare across the country, but I will say that 2024 was a year of compassion, hope and change,” GHS Executive Director Mereda Doss says.

Established in 1965 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1986, GHS’ mission is three-fold.

“The primary mission of the Greenbrier Humane Society is to protect animals from neglect, abuse and exploitation; to advocate for the animals’ interests and welfare; and to inspire awareness and compassion for the animals that are, not only in our care, but the animals of Greenbrier County,” Doss explains.

Programs & Services

GHS’ intake numbers were also down by over 500 compared to 2023. Doss believes this decrease is largely due to the establishment of GHS’ Responsible Pet Rehoming Program.

“We started that program at the end of 2023,” Doss describes. “Over the last 15 months, I estimate that at least 100 animals, if not more, have been rehomed and kept out of GHS because of that program.”

The way it works is straightforward. The owner of the animal needing to be rehomed provides GHS with photos, a bio and contact information, and it is posted to the organization’s social media platforms and website.

“Basically, it gives an animal’s current owner the opportunity to select who they would like for that animal that needs to be rehomed to go to. We spotlight the animal on our social media and website, and they never have to come into our facility. ”

Animals may need to be rehomed for a number of reasons, from financial difficulties to health issues. Doss and her staff reserve judgement on why it is necessary. Instead, they focus on making sure that the program is being utilized for the correct reasons.

“We’ve created policies and procedures and communicated those to the animal’s owner, having them acknowledge that they will not charge a rehoming fee or try to sell the animal because that is not why the program was developed,” she explains.

Another valuable grant-funded service that GHS offers is the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program, which aims to help eliminate pet overpopulation.

“The Spay/Neuter Assistance Program is one of our most important,” Doss says. “We spend almost $140,000 in grants a year in spay and neuter surgeries for owned animals.”

In 2024, GHS partnered with local vets in Greenbrier and Monroe counties to perform 731 spay and neuter surgeries and issued 1,276 vouchers for owned animals — dogs and cats — in Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Monroe and Summers counties. Vouchers are donation-based, with no set minimum or maximum amount required. Depending on quantity, households are able to receive up to two vouchers per month.

After recognizing a need in the area after the 2016 flood, GHS also started donating pet food and treats to local food pantries. A total of 17,166 pounds of dry food, 1,040 cans of wet food and 216 bags of treats were donated last year.

“We’ve found out that there have been multiple times that’s kept an animal out of our facility,” Doss says.

Adoptions, Rescues and Fostering

Animals that are up for adoption can be viewed on the GHS’ Facebook page, website and petfinder.com. Those interested in adopting an animal from GHS do not have to reside in Greenbrier County or even West Virginia.

“We try to have a no-restrictions policy as far as adoptions go because we want to try to get as many of these animals into loving homes as quickly as we can,” Doss explains. “However, we also are looking to make sure that we are matching an adoptable animal to a family that would be the best fit. We are completely transparent with potential adopters about any challenges that we have seen, and we tell them what they should look for as well. If there is a time when we feel that it is not a good fit, we will say, ‘Let’s look for another animal.’”

While GHS does maintain a “do not adopt” list it mainly includes individuals that have received complaints from law enforcement or have previously surrendered animals that have not been cared for appropriately.

“We are not looking at, for example, whether or not someone has a fenced-in yard,” Doss says.

The adoption fee is $70 for cats and kittens and $90 for dogs and puppies. This includes mandatory spay/neuter surgery vaccines; flea, tick and worm treatment and for cats, a triple test for feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and feline heartworm. Microchipping and an IDEXX test for dogs over six months are also available for an additional fee.

For animals that may be more difficult to adopt, whether that is due to age, disability such as blindness or deafness or other factors, GHS maintains strong relationships with rescue organizations.

“We couldn’t do what we do without rescues,” Doss says. “We are extremely successful with our adoption numbers, but it’s those larger pulls through rescue, whether it be dogs or cats, that helps to keep our numbers down.”

Those that might not be in a position to adopt can apply to be a foster, which allows animals to get a break from shelter life for a period of time while waiting for their forever home.

“As much as we love these animals and as much as we treat them like they’re our own, this [GHS’ facility] isn’t a home environment, so it can be stressful for most of the animals in our care,” Doss explains. “By keeping them out of here as much as we can, it keeps them adoptable.”

Then, there’s the Foster-to-Adopt option.

“Foster-to-Adopt can be used if there is someone who is interested in an animal, and they want to make sure that the animal is a good fit for their home,” Doss explains. “However, for the most part, foster-to-adopt is for animals who, we have an adopter for, but they haven’t been altered — spayed or neutered — yet… because legally, we are not allowed to adopt out an animal until it’s been spayed or neutered, so we use that program to keep them out of the facility, in loving homes, until that has been completed.”

Volunteering & Donations

GHS has a number of volunteer opportunities available for anyone interested in getting involved.

“We are so very grateful for our volunteers,” Doss says. “While we would all love to just be playing with puppies and kittens all day, and I’m sure that there are so many people that think that’s what we do, but we don’t. By having volunteers it gives more opportunity for our staff to do the true caring for the animals. It gives us time to help those that need the most help.”

Particularly for those that want to spend quality time with the animals, socialization time — walking the dogs or cuddling with the cats — is one of the most vital parts of the organization’s operation. The Doggy Day Out program, for example, allows volunteers to take a dog out for a field trip or even a sleepover.

“Just getting them into the quietness of a home for an overnight or a couple of nights does wonders for their mental state,” Doss says. “A lot of the time, and with dogs in particular, you don’t see their true personalities within a facility. So, for us and even for the public, being able to  learn about their personalities outside of here has gotten multiple animals adopted strictly because they have seen photos or heard or read stories from the Doggy Day Out program.”

GHS keeps a running list of supplies on its website as well as wish lists on Chewy.com and Amazon.

“Whenever we are in need of food or supplies, we put out a plea to our community, and they truly step up,” Doss says.

Yet, as with most non profits, monetary donations are GHS’ biggest need.

“It takes a lot to run this facility,” Doss says. “We have a small but mighty team, and we do a lot. We also do not recoup the money that we put into these animals. We get a lot of medical cases, and we spent over $106,000 in medicines and surgeries last year. Also, our food costs alone are over $30,000 and that is with a contractual discount that we receive.

“I am so proud of the folks that we have working here, their compassion and their empathy for the animals and for the people who come in here. It’s inspiring.”

Donations can be made via mail (P.O. Box 926, Lewisburg, WV, 24901) drop-off and online (PayPal, Venmo). Donors can choose to make a general gift, tribute or sponsorship of a dog or cat.

If you ask Doss, it is a powerful combination of community support, leadership from GHS’ Board of Directors and hard work of the organization’s dedicated staff that has made GHS what it is today.

“2024 was a year of teamwork, and it is because of our team that we had a successful year,” Doss says. “I am so proud of the folks that we have working here, their compassion and their empathy for the animals and for the people who come in here. It’s inspiring.”

The Greenbrier Humane Society is located at 151 Holliday Lane in Lewisburg. The facility is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 304.645.4775 or visit greenbrierhumane.com for more information.