Helping Hands temporarily stops killing for space.

[Debbie]

Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Helping Hands temporarily stops killing for space.
By Syed Shabbir

Topeka — The Helping Hands Humane Society has temporarily stopped killing for space.

The Helping Hands Humane Society attributes the stop in killing for space to a change in a city ordinance and a dip in intake.
Executive Director Bill Acree attributes the stop to a change in a Topeka city ordinance. On September 28th, Council Members voted unanimously to change the city's animal control regulations to stop targeting pit bulls.

"When they did away with that breed-specific legislation, that allowed us to release those animals back to their owners," Acree said. "That freed up 17 pins in the first few days."

Only one pit bull was allowed to be held in each of the pins, but now that they've been sent home, the pins can hold multiple animals.

'We're able to bring our stray population into that area now," Acree. "The boundaries of 17 suddenly becomes 34 or 40 animals more that we're able to hold."

Acree says the killing for space has also stopped because the shelter's intake has dropped, which it usually does as winter approaches. However, come summer, Acree expects the numbers to jump up again, and that's where the shelter's new facility becomes vital.

"We're going from 13,000 sq. ft. to 32,000 of finished area," Acree said. "We're going from 92 dog pins to space for 170."

Acree says the new shelter is much more than a larger space.

"We have plans in the new building with the training room, with holding class room settings with inviting the veterinarian community into our shelter," Acree said. "We have plans to help educate the community and the young people about spaying and neutering and identification so that when we do end up with that pet that we can call them."

VIDEO @ LINK
http://www.ktka.com/news/2010/oct/19/hel...ing-space/