When Madison College campuses closed in response to COVID-19, it posed an urgent challenge for the college’s Veterinary Technician program. Staff members were still caring for 19 dogs and 23 cats at the Truax Campus. Would there be enough time to find the animals new homes? What happened next, is a remarkable story of teamwork and community support.
The challenges
The easy solution would have been to give the college’s remaining pets to area shelters. However, they were also under the COVID-19 lockdown and could not take on any additional animals.
There was another problem. More than half of the college’s dogs and cats still needed to be spayed or neutered before they could be adopted. How could all that happen with COVID-19 restrictions and a limited staff? The clock was ticking.
Surgery
Vet Tech faculty and staff, with special permission and following full safety precautions, created a spay/neuter assembly line at the Truax Campus. They completed 25 surgeries in just three days. While the animals recovered, staff members were busy preparing for the next step – spreading the word that the animals were available for adoption.
Getting the word out
How do you get more than 40 animals adopted in just a few days? It took a lot of hard work from the Vet Tech team and a big assist from the local media. The joint effort resulted in more than 100 people expressing interest in adopting the lovable pets.
But, there was one final obstacle.
For safety reasons, the college had to create a special pick-up plan for the pets that allowed for social distancing. Vet Tech staff developed a drive-up system that allowed the animals to be safely handed off to the adopting family’s vehicle. The entire pet adoption process – which can sometimes take months – was wrapped up in just a few weeks.
Happily ever after
After the adoption process, the Vet Tech program received a number of emails from the animals’ new owners. Many commented on how well the new pets were fitting into their lives and bringing them joy in a time of great difficulty.
The news brought tears of joy to staff members. Their beloved program animals were thriving in their new forever homes. It would be an experience they would never forget.