Humane Society sees numerous adoptions after reopening in SWFL

Gulf Coast Humane Society officially opened up to the public Monday, and many people lined up to adopt a furry friend.

We spoke to workers who say the adoptions are higher than before the coronavirus pandemic started.

Tania Haney has waited a long time to take home a new furry friend.

“We were in the line for an hour and a half,” Haney said. “And didn’t look like it was moving at all.”

Haney lost her husband and dog in a car accident about four months ago, so it took her a while to move on and find a new companion. During the Humane Society’s reopening, Haney made that a reality.

“That’s kind of what I needed,” Haney said.

It’s something a lot of people say they needed during these uncertain times.

“He wasn’t even on the list I had,” Haney said. “And, as soon as I walked through and saw him, I just took one look at his big brown eyes, and that’s it; I was hooked.”

“That’s a great time to bond with your pet,” said Brian Weirima , the community relations coordinator at Gulf Coast Humane Society. “Maybe potty train them.”

Dogs, such as Buzz and Junior at the Humane Society, can’t wait to find a new home. And Gulf Coast Humane Society says it’s been pleasantly surprised by the number of families coming to adopt them.

In the hour we were there, GCHS had nine adoptions. The day before, there were 14 adoptions in four hours, which is slightly more than how it was before the pandemic.

“We weren’t really expecting that many people to come out, but we are happy,” Weirima said.

Gulf Coast Human Society asks anyone who would like to adopt pet to look at all the dogs and cats it has available. For more information, visit the Gulf Coast Humane Society website.

Weirima says you don’t need to make an appointment, but they are asking that you make a list of animals in mind before you come out.

And Haney says, “It was worth the wait.”

MORE: Gulf Coast Humane Society website