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ROOSEVELT — Roosevelt Animal Shelter manager Rose Potts has worked hard in her 2½ years as the shelter manager to save the lives of as many animals as possible.
Due to her efforts, the shelter was recently awarded a plaque from Best Friends Animal Society for being a no-kill shelter — a title any shelter with a 90% save rate can claim.
"Animals are something I've always been passionate about, and I love that I'm able to put my knowledge and skills to something close to my heart and that can have such a positive impact on animals and the people involved," Potts said.
Having a 90% save rate means keeping 90% of the animals in the shelter from being euthanized, Potts said. An animal at Roosevelt's shelter will only be euthanized if their behavior is deemed a danger to society or if they are declining from sicknesses like canine parvovirus.
Potts said situations where animals receive euthanasia are largely caused by human failure. "(The) owner didn't socialize them, or (the animal) had a bad experience with a certain type of person — say they were kid-aggressive because kids were not very good to them. They didn't have something one way or another that they needed," she said.
Like many shelters across Utah, Roosevelt's is overcrowded. Potts said the facility has 64 kennels, but has averaged 80 to 100 animals at any given time — as well as a waitlist of about 60 dogs and 100 cats that owners are looking to put in the shelter when room opens up.
While not everyone can adopt or foster from the shelter, Potts said the biggest help would be pet owners spaying or neutering their cats and dogs, and getting their pets vaccinated to prevent parvovirus and feline distemper. She also said volunteering and donating to shelters is helpful too.
As for shelters that have not achieved no-kill status, Potts encourages them to get in contact with Best Friends Animal Society.
