Have you ever wondered how the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society’s Highway to Home program works? Highway to Home transports pets from GMHS to adoption-guaranteed agency partners.
Most of these partners are located in the Northeastern U.S. and are home to communities with a great demand for adoptable pets and few local homeless pets. When a pet from GMHS goes to one of our trusted partners, they average less than a week in the new shelter before being adopted. We work with our partners to help place homeless pets in areas where adoption demands are high and rescues have space.
In 2020, 502 pets were transported through our local Highway to Home program, where they went on to find their forever homes. In fact, many were adopted in a matter of days. This year, GMHS has already exceeded our 2020 numbers, with 900 pets being transferred to adoption-guaranteed partners and welcomed into their forever homes.
When other shelters have reached capacity for physical space and other resources, they regularly reach out to GMHS for support. Due to a lack of resources, some shelters may be faced with euthanizing heartworm-positive dogs or choosing to forego testing them prior to adoption for fear of the results. There is no shortage of heartworm-positive dogs in shelters throughout the region, and GMHS is committed to saving their lives through our Helps for Hearts program.
With transfer to GMHS and treatment of heartworm disease, they go on to live healthy and happy lives in the comfort and security of their forever homes.
GMHS Highway to Home Coordinator Jessica Outten shares, “I can’t begin to express how grateful we are for our incredible network of adoption-guaranteed partners, especially during these times of uncertainty. In the midst of a pandemic, our shelter partners have worked tirelessly to ensure GMHS is able to provide pets with opportunities to find their forever homes. We can’t say thank you enough.”
By year’s end, more than 1,000 pets will meet their forever families through Highway to Home, and GMHS volunteer transport drivers help make this possible. GMHS’ greatest volunteer need is for Highway to Home drivers to transport pets from GMHS to our network of 50-plus adoption-guaranteed partner shelters and rescues.
To learn more about this special volunteer opportunity, contact Volunteer Coordinator Waynette Petty at volunteer@gmhumanesociety.org or 804-693-5520 ext. 116.
Your donation to GMHS funds lifesaving programs like Highway to Home. By transporting pets from GMHS to communities with a large adopter pool and low homeless pet population, GMHS is able to save more lives than ever before.
Thank you to all who continue to go above and beyond to save and transform the lives of homeless pets. The program’s success is made possible by the generous support of donors, including Petco Love, volunteers and team members.
Donations can be made at gmhumanesociety.org/donate or mailed to P.O. Box 385, Gloucester, Va. 23061, ensuring GMHS and our community remain a beacon of hope and safe harbor for homeless pets.