Dear Friends:
In compliance with Governor Ralph Northam's March 30, 2020, COVID-19 directive, GMHS remains closed to shelter visitors and is tentatively scheduled to reopen June 11, 2020, at 11 AM. As an essential business, we continue to operate with essential personnel to care for the pets at GMHS and the Gloucester County Animal Control Shelter while practicing social distancing to protect staff members and clients.
Updated GMHS Operational Information
Adoptions
Adoptions will continue to be conducted by appointment only. To begin the adoption process:
- Visit our Adoption Process webpage or Petfinder to view the homeless pets searching for a heart connection.
- Download and complete the relevant adoption questionnaire available on the Adoption Process webpage. Be sure to list the pet you'd like to meet.
- Email the completed adoption questionnaire to animalplacement@gmhumanesociety.org. Expedite processing by calling your current veterinarian and granting him/her permission to share information about your pets’ records with us.
Once the adoption questionnaire is approved, a team member will contact you to schedule an appointment for a meet and greet, which will take place outdoors in the GMHS Play Yard where social distancing can be maintained. As always, we're committed to making lasting heart connections and seek to pair pets and adopters with a mutual best fit.
Intake/Lost Pets
Intakes will continue to be scheduled by appointment in keeping with our standard, longstanding managed intake practice and to honor our municipal contracts. To inquire about surrendering or reclaiming a lost pet, call (804) 693-5520 ext. 308 or email
sheltermanager@gmhumanesociety.org.
Pet Pantry
Pet Pantry clients are asked to visit the Intake entrance and ring the doorbell during our standard operating hours. A team member will meet you outside, verify enrollment in the Pet Pantry, and deliver the food curbside.
Events and Volunteers
In an effort to protect the health of our dedicated staff and volunteer team members, the difficult decision has been made to suspend all
offsite/onsite shelter events and
volunteering at GMHS until further notice. Know our staff members are hard at work seven days a week to ensure all of the homeless p
ets at GMHS receive care, comfort, and compassion without disruption.
Fixin’ to Save Spay & Neuter Clinic
GMHS'
Fixin' to Save Spay & Neuter Clinic
will remain open until the planned closure for renovations, which will begin April 9, 2020. (Post-renovation, the clinic will reopen for scheduled surgery appointments April 27, 2020.) The clinic team will continue to conduct curbside check-in/check-out, which limits contact with the public. Clients exhibiting symptoms of illness are requested to contact the clinic to reschedule their appointments by calling (804) 694-0349.
How Can You Help the Homeless Pets at GMHS?
With the cancellation of many festivals and offsite events in addition to the closure to shelter visitors, we've already begun to experience a significant decrease in revenue. At present, our greatest need is for monetary donations, and we are grateful for every gift received.
Your gift to GMHS will ensure we have the resources necessary to provide homeless pets with all of the care and compassion needed to be healthy and happy while awaiting adoption into their forever homes. Tax-deductible donations to GMHS may be made via mail (P.O. Box 385, Gloucester, VA, 23061) or electronically via
PayPal
.
Indeed, these may be strange, seemingly unpredictable times. However, our commitment to being wholly responsive to the needs of the community and actively working to improve our processes to save even more lives remains constant, and we will continue to keep you informed as required by the dynamic nature of this situation.
Thank you for your friendship and support of our life-saving mission, for they ensure GMHS will continue to save and transform the lives of homeless pets while remaining a beacon of hope for citizens and pets alike.
With gratitude,
April Martinez, GMHS Executive Director
