We are the Hillside SPCA, a no-kill animal shelter in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. We are not your typical animal shelter. We take in mostly dogs, cats, and small animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters, but we have in the past had chickens, goats, pigs, horses, cows, iguanas, fish, emus, and just about anything you can imagine. The animals here at Hillside don't have a time limit like at most shelters - they're free to stay until they find a permanent home. We've even had one dog spend 15 happy years here. No animal will be put to sleep for being here "too long".
Unlike some other "no-kill" SPCAs, at Hillside the animals are not locked in kennels all day. We have a large dog building and a small dog building, where the dogs are free to run together and play all day, as well as large yards connected to the buildings so they can go outside whenever they want. Dogs that are not good with other dogs have their own yard away from other dogs so they can lounge around outside, and they get plenty of walks during the day. At night, the dogs are put into their kennels and 'condos', special larger, quieter rooms for dogs that may need some special treatment, such as older or sick dogs.
The cats are not locked in cages all day like they are at some shelters, instead, they get to roam wherever they please in our cat building, as well as several screened in windows so they can lay outside if they want.
Our dog population is rarely under 100, and the cat population is normally between 200-300. In the past, Hillside has taken in 1,100 to 1,200 animals per year. These animals came to us from cruelty cases, as strays, and most often, released by their owners. We hear all sorts of reasons for getting rid of an animal, such as the owners are moving, they had a baby, they can't afford the animal anymore, they just don't want the animal anymore, they developed allergies, the dog barked when a stranger came to the door, the dog wouldn't stay in the electric fence, the animal got too old, the owners got a new puppy or kitten and don't want the older animal anymore, and the list could go on forever.
A huge misconception about shelter animals is that they are all at the shelter because of something they did. The truth is, most animals that come to Hillside or any SPCA are not relinquished because of behavioral issues. For the few that are, often the only reason they were given up is that the owner did not want to try to fix the problem. Rarely do we get an animal in that cannot be trained to stop whatever behavior caused it to come to us in the first place.
Hillside SPCA is a no-kill shelter, but "no-kill" does not mean "never kill", as much as we wish it did. We DO NOT put a time limit on ANY animal that comes to us, and we give every animal every possible chance at adoption or rescue. However, as we may get over 1,000 animals in one year, there are a few cases where it is unavoidable. When an animal is so sick that it cannot be helped, or it is so vicious that it cannot be placed in a home, we have no other option than to humanely euthanize it. We do not take euthanasia lightly, and use it as an absolute last resort. Training, socialization, exercise, and any other possible option is tried before we think of putting an animal to sleep, and when it must be done we all grieve for the animal as if it were one of our own.
The animals at Hillside are treated as 'one of our own'. They are never assigned a number as at some shelters. We get to know them, see what they enjoy, find their true personality, and become attached to them. As they are not locked away all day, they are with our employees at all times. We only want the best for our animals, and do our best to make sure they have it.
Our animals must be adopted as indoor only pets, they must be spayed or neutered if they are not when they are adopted, and they must be returned to our shelter if for some reason the adopter cannot keep them. All adopters must sign an adoption contract agreeing to these and other terms.
In addition to accepting and adopting out animals, we also investigate animal cruelty and provide educational programs for children both at the shelter and in schools.
Hillside SPCA runs entirely on donations. We receive no money from the government or from the sale of dog licenses. We are NOT connected with ANY other shelters, and do not receive funding from any other shelter. We often will have several fundraisers going on at any time, and are always looking for volunteers to help with them.
Hillside truly has some of the most dedicated and caring employees who will do just about anything for the animals. Our employees rarely get a 'day off'. We must be at the shelter 365 days a year. Our employees can be found chasing stray dogs at 1AM or driving 3 hours to take a dog to his new home, as well as coming up with new fundraising ideas and posting our special needs animals all over the internet. Our employees not only work cleaning up after the animals, but they are also trainers, groomers, photographers, website managers, video makers, transporters, and any other possible title you can think of. Hillside SPCA employees are not there for the money or recognition, they are simply there for the animals, and our animals know it and appreciate it.
