Animal transports bring thousands of rescues to homes in Minnesota

A reserved and shy dog comes out of her cage at the Humane Society
A reserved and shy dog slowly came out of her cage in a quiet room used for dogs with behavioral issues as Lauren Kolarik, behavior modification and rehabilitation specialist, holds her at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.
Tony Saunders | MPR News

The number of animals arriving at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley continues to rise. It is the largest of four metro area shelters and has taken in more than 23,000 animals this year. Many of these animals are rescues from natural disasters and overcrowded shelters in the southern United States.

AHS was able to place more than 95 percent of the animals that come to the shelters last year. Adoption is made more attractive to pet owners by providing spay and neuter surgeries, behavior rehabilitation and other medical treatments. In total, AHS said 1,132 animals with "untreatable illnesses or behavior issues" were euthanized last year.

Animals often come from states like Alabama or Mississippi, where spay and neuter rates are low, and natural disasters like Hurricane Michael result in animal abandonment.

After transports arrive at the facility, the humane society provides the resources they need to become healthy and social animals ready for adoption.

Editor's note: This post was updated with more information from the Humane Society on Jan. 2, 2019.

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