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Jefferson County Humane Society reports staffing, adoption gains and seeks county approval to equip medical room
Summary
At the Dec. 22 Hancock County Commission meeting, Sally Weir of the Jefferson County Humane Society reported a new on‑staff veterinarian, a passed pharmacy inspection, and 34 adoptions from Dec. 1–21; the group asked the commission to approve equipping the shelter medical room and outlined volunteer and grant plans.
Sally Weir, president of the Jefferson County Humane Society, told the Hancock County Commission on Dec. 22 that the shelter has added an on‑staff veterinarian and passed a recent West Virginia Pharmacy Board inspection, steps she said will expand the shelter’s medical capacity.
"You now have a vet on staff at your shelter, which is huge," Weir said, noting Dr. Lydia Friend is licensed in West Virginia. Weir said the inspection went well and the only minor item reported was medical‑room temperature control; staff are working to regulate it.
Weir described operational upgrades aimed at improving intake and outcomes: expanded shelter software and training so multiple staff can enter records; new laptops and medical equipment transferred from the society’s clinic; and daily public hours currently set at 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The shelter’s outreach now uploads animal listings to PetFinder each day, Weir said, which she credited with increasing interest from adopters outside the immediate area.
"From December 1 to the 21st, we've had 34 adoptions," Weir said, adding that adoption totals for the prior two months were about half that level. She said the shelter will focus on animals that have been in care the longest and will adopt population‑management and medical standards to shorten lengths of stay.
Weir said the society has created staff roles to assign clear responsibility for dogs and cats, plans to expand a volunteer program and pursue local business partnerships (including possible volunteer events at retail partners), and will research state grant opportunities and organize fundraisers. She asked the Commission to approve equipping the shelter’s medical room: "We're gonna be setting in some shelter standards, and in the very future, we hope to have an open house... We'd like to equip the medical room in January upon approval by the board of commissioners," she said.
Laurie Ann Barber, identified by commissioners as the shelter’s director and present for the pharmacy inspection, confirmed work on compliance and temperature control. Commissioners thanked the presenters and expressed support for continued partnership.
Next steps: the Humane Society will pursue grants and fundraising and return to the county for formal approval to equip the medical room; any county action on funding or equipment was not recorded during this meeting.
