It’s loud at the Butler County Humane Society in Connoquenessing Township. And despite the best efforts of volunteers, it smells a little like, well, dog.

That’s because the society shelters dozens of lost, strayed or abandoned dogs and cats. And while animal adoption numbers have stayed the same, the number of animals available for adoption at the shelter has grown this year.

In order to increase the number of dogs and cats being placed in “forever homes,” the human society recently started a “Love is Blind” social media campaign featuring six dogs and cats. Facebook postings profile the animals, listing their interests, likes and what they consider their perfect “dates.“

If they like what they see on Facebook, potential adopters are asked to schedule an appointment with their favorite animal candidate for a “blind date.”

If human and animal hit it off and the application is approved, the human will be able to adopt the animal without an adoption fee, which can run up to $100 for cats and up to $250 for dogs.

And in another move to get more animals out of cages and into people’s homes, the shelter will cut adoption fees in half for animals that have been in long-term care at the shelter.

Someone might very well ask why charge an adoption fee at all? It’s because the Butler County Humane Society is a small, non-profit organization that relies on donations to stay open.

It’s also a no-kill facility, which means no animals are euthanized to create space.

When an animal arrives at the shelter, funds must be spent on neutering and spaying, vaccinations, and other screenings and medical procedures.

Potential adopters are vetted. The humane society asks for an application and references, as well as proof that the home the animal is going to allows and is suitable for pets.

But there are many ways other than adopting a dog or cat to help the society. Volunteers are needed to do everything from mopping floors and taking out trash at the shelter to being animal companions who walk and socialize with someone’s future pets.

The Butler County Humane Society is doing great work with the county’s dog and cat population. It could do even greater work with a with a little more help from its two-footed friends.

— EF