Green Hills Animal Shelter Named “Organization of the Year” By Chamber Of Commerce

The Green Hills Animal Shelter has been named the 2022 Organization of the Year by the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce. The shelter and its board will be honored at the chamber’s annual meeting, set for Friday, March 18 at the Ketcham Community Center.
The Green Hills Animal Shelter provides a safe environment for stray dogs and cats looking for a new home.
Established in 1999 and located in Trenton, the shelter is home to as many as 25 dogs and 12 cats at any one time. The facility is a “no-kill” shelter, meaning animals are kept there until a new owner can be found. Ronda Michael, who has served as the shelter manager since May of 2021, said most dogs are adopted within the first four months they are there while cat adoptions can take a while longer.
“It all depends on the dog,” Mrs. Michael said, noting that the city’s breed-specific ordinance has made it difficult to adopt out animals that are a Pitbull or Pitbull mix.
While at the shelter, the animals are “pampered” by volunteers who come in to feed the animals and make sure dogs get their daily exercise. Animals are fed twice a day and each have their own bed area.
“We treat them like they were our own,” Mrs. Michael said.
Most of the animals are brought into the shelter by the city of Trenton, which contracts with the shelter and pays $18 a day for the first five days the animal is there to help with housing expenses. After that, the shelter assumes financial responsibility until the animal is adopted. The shelter also has a contract with the city of Milan and has some animals from that community.
The shelter gets its financial support through community donations and fundraisers, which have been limited the past two years due to the COVID pandemic. A community favorite, “A Walk Through Chocolate Heaven,” has not been held the last two years but it is hoped the event can be reinstituted in 2023. The annual garage sale and “Barktober Fest” continue to be held and help with expenses incurred in taking care of the shelter animals.
“We have great support from the community who attend our events,” Mrs. Michael said, adding that individual contributions are also accepted and appreciated. “It’s the community support that has allowed us to keep our doors open.”
Mrs. Michael noted adoptions have been popular lately, especially when it comes to puppies. Animals adopted at the shelter are required to be neutered and have their shots before leaving, with the $120 cost for those services being paid for by the animal’s new family.
An active 12-member board governs the shelter, which is open from 11 am to 4 pm on Monday through Wednesday as well as on Friday and Saturday. The shelter is closed on Thursday and Sunday. Persons interested in adopting a pet can come to the shelter during business hours or go to the website, greenhillsanimalshelter.org, to see a list of available animals.