PROVIDING AN UPDATE — Lorianne Barbour, left, and Sally Wehr, managers of the Hancock County Animal Shelter, appeared before Hancock County commissioners Monday to provide an update on the shelter’s operations since the Jefferson County Humane Society began its oversight last month. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — The Jefferson County Humane Society has been busy over the last seven weeks in its efforts to plan for the future of the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

“In November, we did a lot of cleaning and organizing at the shelter,” explained Sally Wehr, who, along with Lorianne Barbour, appeared before the Hancock County Commission Monday to provide an update since the Ohio-based organization took over management of the shelter Nov. 1.

Wehr and Barbour were named managers as part of the change. In their first month, Wehr said, they have been taking the time to get to know the existing staff at the shelter, learning about their established procedures and providing new training while updating the website and social media platforms for the shelter, teaching all staff how to use the records software and preparing the shelter for its West Virginia Pharmacy Board inspection, which was passed earlier this month.

Pictures of all adoptable animals are featured on the shelter’s website — located at JCHSFoundation.com — as well as through its Facebook page, with information on animals available for adoption uploaded to Petfinder.com.

The shelter also welcomed Dr. Lydia Friend, a veterinarian, who will be providing veterinary care for all animals at the shelter going forward.

“You now have a vet on staff at your shelter,” Wehr said. “That’s huge.”

The shelter is open each day from noon to 4 p.m., with staff planning additional schedule changes in the future to make it more accessible to the community.

“We’re open every day now,” Wehr said. “If we have people there, we’re open.”

As of Monday, the shelter reported 58 animals at the shelter, with 17 in foster care. Of those, 52 are adoptable and two are reserved. Off-site adoption events are being implemented at the Pet Supplies Plus store in Weirton, and Wehr reported, since Dec. 1, the shelter has assisted with 34 adoptions and six reclaims.

“That is double from the last two months,” she said.

In the months ahead, the shelter is planning to expand on its volunteer program while re-establishing partnerships with local businesses, equipping the medical room, updating shelter standards and continue the training of staff, while searching for grant and fundraiser opportunities and plan for an open house to better educate the public on the shelter.