Fayette County, WV (WOAY) – The Fayette County Humane Society has had a tough few years with the animal shelter in code red daily.
They currently have 110 dogs and feel lacking in the support and resources they need,
speaking to Newswatch Reporter Jillian Risberg about the challenges they’re facing and what can be done to help.
“For all these animals to get a home, that would be our perfect world,” said Executive Director Fallyn Wakefield. “But unfortunately, that’s not our reality. And it hasn’t been our reality now for about two years.”
The FCHS does not turn animals away.
“I feel like some members of the public get upset because we’re always full, or they just think we’re completely overloaded,” Wakefield said. “So I encourage any member of the public to come up here and see what we’re dealing with on a daily basis.”
While most can’t relate to what goes on inside the shelter, the Fayette County Humane Society staff says the public often has something to say.
“It kind of hurts because we’re doing everything we can for these dogs. And it seems like it’s never enough for the people who are outside,” said Kennel Tech Myesha Chaffin. “They see like maybe a bowl turned over with no water, even though we just gave them water and they drank it all, or they may have spilled it and then we haven’t refilled it yet. Then they’re coming in here for a few minutes and making these speculations.”
The shelter wants the community to know they are protecting these dogs to the best of their ability.
“But we only have so many resources, and what we have to work with is not always a lot,” Wakefield said. “We’re trying to house as many animals as we can. And no, it’s not perfect, but our animals are fed. At the end of the day, they got water, they got love, and they’re being taken care of.”
Cultivating a solutionary mindset helps reduce judgment.
“You think you can do a better job? Come up here and help us instead of sitting back and judging us,” said FCHS Secretary Brailey Hesskutil. “We need so much help and truly don’t get it from the community.”
The shelter has 65 kennels, but Wakefield says they are housing way over the limit.
“It’s not fair to these animals,” the executive director said. “Getting a bigger facility would be something we would definitely be interested in doing in the future.”
