Humane Society of Faulkner County
P.O. Box 1055Conway, AR 72033 US
www.petfinder.com/shelters/AR135.html
About Us
Adopting A Friend
The Adoption Process Explained
Thank you for choosing to adopt a pet in need! Our main priority is to match the right dog to the right home in order to safeguard against the future re-homing of our foster dogs. Our hope is that our adoption process helps ensure a lifetime of love and compatibility for both the pet and the adopter. We hope that the process doesn’t seem too time consuming or unnecessarily complicated, but please understand that we have our dogs’ best interests at heart.
Our organization is run completely by unpaid volunteers who dedicate their free time to help homeless strays. We thank you for your time and patience throughout our adoption process.
Step 1 - Fill out Application: The first step is to fill out an application. This application will tell us about your lifestyle, training beliefs and prior experience with animals. Our adoption process is structured more as an open conversation than a series of yes-or-no, right-or-wrong questions.
Step 2 - Preliminary Review of Application: Each of our program dogs live in volunteer’s personal homes (foster homes) as HSFC does not have a shelter. Once the application is completed, it is forwarded to the foster parents for review. The foster parents will be looking for dog/family compatibility based on what they know about the dog’s daily habits/behaviors and the applicants expectations in a dog.
Step 3 - Phone conversation/email with foster parent: This is a good time for both parties to share additional info to further determine if said dog is a potential match.
Step 4 – Meet the dog: We bring the dog to your home to meet you. This is an informal chance for us to get to know you and let you meet the dog.
Step 5 – Trial Adoption Period: If dog and family are a potential match, a trial period of three (3) weeks can be set up. At the start of the trial you are required to sign an adoption contract and to provide payment of the adoption fee. Checks received will not be cashed until the adoption has been made official.
If needed, our organization can provide a kennel/crate, food/water bowls, leash and collar for you to use during the trial period. We may also provide a small supply of dog food that will allow you to transition the dog’s diet to another food.
If at any time during the trial period you are having issues with the dog, please contact us via email/phone and a volunteer will be in touch with you ASAP. Make reasonable expectations regarding your adopted pet in the weeks that follow his/her arrival into your home. Understand that stresses of a new environment can keep your new pet from showing his true personality until he/she adapts and settles into a routine.
Step 6 - Adoption Official: At the end of the three (3) week trial adoption, the adoption is official. The adoption fee will be deposited, and will no longer be refundable if the dog is returned. All veterinary paperwork we have for the dog will be mailed to you or left with you during the trial period.
Who We Are
Who are we?
The Humane Society of Faulkner County is an all volunteer, 501c3 nonprofit animal advocacy/rescue organization. We are funded exclusively by local donations, fundraisers and grants.
Did you know?
Most people are surprised to learn that HSFC does not have a animal shelter. In fact, even our county government does not have a shelter. The only animal shelter available is operated by the city of Conway and exclusively for use by Conway residents.
What is being done?
Over the last 5 years the county government has collected a voluntary tax for the construction of an animal shelter for Faulkner County residents. The amount currently funded is $522,000. It is estimated that the county will have enough money to build this shelter within 5 years. What can be done in the meantime? HSFC has a small number of volunteer foster homes which take in some strays, but we have far too few to meet the demand. The stray animal problem must be addressed by county officials. To help combat the problem now, HSFC believes the best start is to provide free or reduced spay/neuter vouchers to county citizens. HSFC recently proposed to county officials that a small portion of the voluntary tax money be used for such vouchers for all county residents. Unfortunately that request was denied. This proposed program would invite all local veterinarians to participate and redeem the vouchers. By implementing a spay/neuter program now, we can drastically reduce the amount of strays in the future. National statistics strongly suggests that stray animal overpopulation cannot be eradicated by euthanizing or adopting alone. We must also implement spay/neuter programs to attack the problem at the very source. What can you do? First, please pay the Faulkner County's voluntary animal control tax. Next, let our county officials know that you want to start reducing the stray population now and would like a free or reduced cost spay/neuter voucher program for Faulkner County residents!
What does HSFC do?
HSFC owns Companions Spay/Neuter clinic located on HWY 65 in Springhill. The clinic building and equipment are leased to a veterinarian and his staff to operate. HSFC’s primary purpose is to supply the staff with volunteers and additional funds to help offer low cost spay/neuter surgeries to the public. HSFC also operates and owns Companions Thrift and Gift Shop at 2219 Washington Avenue in Conway. In addition, we have a small network of foster homes. These homes volunteer their time and are the caretakers to homeless animals until adoption. This effort began over 18 years ago and continues still today. Close to 8,000 animals have been rescued and adopted, with an additional 10,000 sterilized for financially needy families in our community.
And there's more!
New England Dog Adoptions: Almost every week we send our once homeless dogs by transport to homes in the New England states. Transportation costs are paid by the New England adopters/owners. Why, you ask? Our area is extremely saturated with free dogs, strays and breeders so local adoptions are very few. This program was implemented to rescue/adopt more county strays. The New England states do not have an animal overpopulation problem because their spay/neuter programs as well as animal control faculties have been in place for many years.
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PetSmart Cat Adoption Program: We work in conjunction with PetSmart to find homes for homeless kitties! Located in PetSmart Conway facilities are glass fronted kitty condos for potential adopters to view available cats/kittens up for adoption. These kitties were once homeless but find new homes after they are spay/neutered and fully vetted at Companions Spay/Neuter Clinic.
Monthly Vaccination Clinics: Once monthly HSFC hosts a vaccination clinic to offer low cost vaccinations, heartworm testing, worming and micro chipping. Shots are just $10!
Donate!
Donations: Donations have steadily declined over the last 3 years due to the economy. We need your gently used clothing and small household items to be sold at our thrift shop. We need donations dollars for the needed extras too! Our adoption fees help offset the our vet bills, but in many cases expensive heartworm treatment, orthopedic surgery, x-rays, teeth cleaning and extensive grooming are also needed to prepare an animal for adoption. These cost are on top of our standard practice of care that includes the spay/neuter of all program animals, all vaccinations, micro chipping and blood/fecal testing.
Spay/Neuter Programs: Each year HSFC applies for grants which helps the financially needy to spay/neuter their pets. Every year the demand is far greater than the means. The grant usually runs out midyear with others still needing assistance. We have recently created a new memorial fund in memory of our long time volunteer, Sloan Swindle. She lost her battle to cancer but her passion for animals will live on through this fund! This fund was created when HSFC won $14,500 for a national video contest by Purina. This video highlighted a dog in our foster care program. We encourage people to add to this fund by donating to it! Its primary purpose is to help needy families spay/neuter their pets, which will reduce our stray overpopulation problem.
Aluminum Can Recycling Program: We have two large bins at both our thrift shop and spay/neuter clinic. All proceeds go for the care of the animals. Please donate your cans!
Donation Banks: Look for our point-of-sale banks located throughout the county and donate your spare change!
Volunteer Opportunities?
Thrift Shop: We need thrift shop volunteers to cover more hours of operation. The more hours we can be open, the more money we can make for the animals! Call (501) 932-4444 for more info.
Spay/Neuter Clinic: HSFC volunteers can help the clinic staff in a variety of ways! We supply the clinic with volunteers who are trained to recover the animals after surgery. Other volunteer opportunities are also available. Call (501) 679-7900 for more info.
Fundraising: Chocoholics is our biggest fundraiser of the year yet over the past few years, volunteers, sponsors and funds have been low. We need new fundraising ideas and volunteers to head up those efforts. Even small projects like garage sales make a difference!
General: We need volunteers to transport cans to the recycling center, mow grass, do repairs for both buildings. We need supplies like paper towels, dog collars, dog houses, crates and used towels. Supplies can be dropped off at our thrift shop or clinic or email: hsfc@conwaycorp.net.
Come Visit Us
Most people are surprised to learn that HSFC does not have a animal shelter. In fact, even our county government does not have a shelter. The only animal shelter available is operated by the city of Conway and exclusively for use by Conway residents.
HSFC has a small number of volunteer foster homes which take in some strays, but we have far too few to meet the demand. These homes volunteer their time and are the caretakers to homeless animals until adoption. This effort began over 18 years ago and continues still today.
