Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Here are some of our Frequently Asked Questions. Where do MHC cats and dogs come from?
MHC rescues healthy, adoptable pets that have been put on the shelter's euthanasia list and we put them up for adoption. Pets come from all over Midland/Odessa area. Some are strays; some have been abandoned; and some come from homes that are no longer able to care for them for an inevitable reason. They usually end up in the Midland Animal Services shelter. They do the best that they can, but oftentimes they have no choice but to euthanize animals for lack of space. We step in to give some of these pets a different path -- adoption. How do you pick which cats and dogs to rescue?
Because we have limited space, our vets handpick the healthiest animals with the best temperaments from the city shelter’s euthanasia list so we can ensure that they will be highly adoptable. We'd love to rescue them all, but, realistically, we can only rescue a small, finite number of pets. What is a no-kill shelter? Are you really "no-kill"?
A “no-kill” shelter is an animal shelter that does not kill healthy or treatable animals even when the shelter is full. Euthanasia is only considered for terminally ill animals or those considered dangerous to public safety. Since we screen all the pets we rescue from the shelter to ensure that they are healthy prior to on boarding at our kennels, we have not had any incidents that have required euthanizing a pet in our care. MHC is a no-kill facility. Our goal is to ensure that all the pets in our care are adopted and end up in a home where they get treated with compassion. Is Midland Humane Coalition the same thing as PetSmart?
No. Midland Humane Coalition is a separate non-profit organization that functions out of the PetSmart in Midland. PetSmart Charities is our generous sponsor and they have kindly allowed us to operate our Enhanced Adoption Center within their premises. They also supply our rescued pets with food and supplies. I found a dog. Can I take and drop them off at the Adoption Center?
No. We can help by scanning them for a microchip. If they have one, you can try to contact the owner. However, we cannot hold walk-in stray pets in our Adoption Center. We have a strict animal vetting process for onboarding new pets that we have to follow to ensure all the pets' safety. Check the Lost & Found Pets page for ideas on how to network and find homes for lost pets. I found a litter of kittens/puppies. Can I take and drop them off at the Adoption Center?
No. We cannot take strays into the Adoption Center, especially litters, because we do not have the capacity to take care of infants. They require specialized care 24/7 and they need to be quarantined from other animals as they cannot be immunized until they reach a certain age (6-7 weeks). We rely on the help of foster homes to hold pets outside of the Adoption Center. Would you consider becoming a foster home? Check out the page on Fostering a Pet for more information. Also, check the Re-homing Pets page for ideas on how to network and find homes for the puppies/ kittens. I have feral cats on my property. Can I take and drop them off at the Adoption Center or can you come get them from me?
No. Feral cats are wild creatures and are not suitable in a domestic situation; hence, they are not adoptable and do not belong in the Adoption Center. MHC is not equipped to do pick-ups or make house calls. If you need animals picked up from a location, Animal Control is the only one who can pick up animals on site and take them to Midland Animal Services Shelter. If you'd like to help feral cats, you can participate in Trap, Neuter, Release efforts in the community. TNR is a humane way to control feral cat overpopulation by stopping the cycle of breeding. Learn more about TNR here. Do you give shots or microchips at the Adoption Center in PetSmart?
No, we do not have vets on site to administer shots/microchips. We do hold Shot and Microchip Clinics off-site at various locations in the city (mostly city parks) if/when we can get a vet scheduled. For the schedule of Shot & Chip Clinics, check our Event Calendar or Follow our Facebook Page to get updates. NOTE: Shot Clinics do not always happen every month. We are working toward creating a more regular schedule for these clinics. How much are shots or microchips at your off-site chip clinics?
Currently, we do not have any Shot & Microchip clinics scheduled. Cost varies based on the species and age of your pet and what round of shots they need. Refer to the Microchipping or Vaccinations pages for pricing information. Does your organization offer low-cost spay and neuter clinics?
We do not have Spay/Neuter clinics. However, if you live in the City of Midland or Midland Count, you can get discounts using $70 Spay/Neuter vouchers to help reduce your costs. Please proceed to the Spay/Neuter page for more information on how to avail of these vouchers. I have a fully vetted dog/cat that I can no longer care for. Can I take and drop them off at the adoption center?
We do not and cannot accept pet drop-offs from the public. We work with Midland Animal Services and other rescue groups to rescue pets that are eligible for adoption. We have very limited kennel space and, most of the time, we are at full capacity. We have a strict intake process that we must follow for the safety of all the pets at the Adoption Center. You may drop your pet off at Midland Animal Services shelter. But please be aware that if you do so, your pet may be euthanized if not adopted after a certain period of time. Your first course of action should be to make plans to try to re-home the pet yourself. Please read the information on Re-homing a Pet. YOU USED TO HAVE A TNR PROGRAM for feral cats. What happened to it?
MHC no longer has a TNR Program. The Midland Cat Wranglers, a group of TNR volunteers, have formed a separate non-profit organization with the sole purpose of TNR. Visit their page here. |
