NEW CUMBERLAND — Hancock County Animal Shelter officials announced Saturday morning on the shelter’s official Facebook page that, effective immediately, the shelter no longer has an open-door admission policy.

Due to new capacity limits, updated regulations and staffing constraints, the shelter can no longer accept anything but dogs or cats – their maximum capacity is 28 dogs and 25 adult cats and two litters of kittens.

Several days ago, the shelter once again was past capacity, and workers were pleading for fosters and volunteers.

The shelter still will adopt animals outside the county and state as employees always had, a shelter representative explained.

Once full, any additional dogs, cats or kittens will be wait-listed until space becomes available.

The shelter’s feral cat/TNR (Trap-neuter return) program has been discontinued. The shelter can no longer accept unsocialized or feral cats nor cats that are unadoptable.

For the public, that seemed to be the most disturbing aspect.

Jo Woodward-White, who runs East Liverpool’s TNR effort, replied, “It is terrible news for the animals….The explosion of kittens will be severe, and those kittens will suffer. I fear many animals will be abandoned because of (the) new intake rules.”

She continued that due to reduction of open-to-the-public opportunities, walk-in exposure will be limited, potentially impacting adoptions.

Some individuals posting on social media in response to the announcement suggested increasing licensing fees, especially on unaltered pets, to $100 per year if they cannot provide veterinary proof of spay or neuter.

Currently the cost of an individual dog license is $3 in Hancock County, while kennel licenses run $10 for up to five dogs.

In comparison, Columbiana County charges four times that $12 (an additional 75 cents through a satellite provider) or an individual one-year dog license.

Among the changes announced were new intake requirements for surrenders, which would require copies of your most recent utility bill and a current, valid driver’s license or photo ID — both showing a Hancock County address – in order to accept your surrendered pet.

Previously adopted pets had an automatic return policy even if the owner had relocated to another county. With this new policy, that is no longer the case, the shelter explained.

“Unfortunately, this also means if you have previously adopted from us and are no longer able to keep your pet you will need to go to your local shelter,” the post explained. “We will not be able to take returns if you are not a county resident. We will write you a release to the rescue or shelter of your choice.”

The shelter now is only open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All adoptions, meet-and-greets, surrenders, and other visits are during these times.

Back at the end of March, rumors were swirling on the Internet about not only potential county office budget cuts but also to fire departments, which eventually were funded, and that the shelter would become a kill shelter with only volunteers.

At that time, Hancock County commissioners insisted that would never happen to the shelter.

A shelter rep didn’t return a call Saturday afternoon for additional comment; however, their post urged the public that if they have concerns about the changes to reach out to Hancock County commissioners at 304-564-3311.

“Shelter staff have no control over these changes. We are heartbroken too. Please be kind to our employees, (as) they are doing their best under these new restrictions,” the shelter concluded in their post.