Adopt your next pet from the shelter. If each of us would adopt one of our pets from the Southern Pines Animal Shelter, thousands of homeless pets would have loving homes.

Until our neighbors spay or neuter every one of their animals, we’ll continue to see thousands of kittens or puppies coming to the already overcrowded Shelter. Most won’t be adopted. Don’t breed or buy while shelter animals die.

Southern Pines Animal shelter is a non-profit organization chartered in 1952. The shelter depends largely on donations from caring individuals to maintain a clean, safe, and humane shelter. The Shelter promotes animal welfare and responsible pet ownership in a variety of ways:

• Sheltering lost pets and reuniting them with their owners

• Finding homes for unwanted pets

• Educating the community about the problems of unwanted, neglected, and abused animals

• Providing humane care for all animals in our custody

The Southern Pines Animal Shelter is an “ open admission” shelter, meaning that no animal is turned away regardless of health, age, or temperament.

In 2006, there were 8,435 lost, stray, and unwanted animals brought to the Southern Pines Animal Shelter. Every year, there is a significant increase in the number of animals brought to the shelter. Unfortunately many of the animals must be euthanized because of lack of space, resources, and adoptive homes.

Animals can be adopted at the shelter during opening hours and the Southern Pines Animal Shelter is a PetSmart adoption partner.

The shelter is at 1901 N. 31st Ave., in Hattiesburg and the phone number is 601-544-6632. They are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Visit there web site at www.southernpinesanimalshelter.org .

Shelter animals are available at the Hattiesburg PetSmart store at specific times/days. Call PetSmart for the current schedule.