SANDUSKY COUNTY, Ohio — It is the spooky season and the Humane Society of Sandusky County is getting into the spirit by asking for donations of toys, food and supplies for animals in its care.
The shelter is beyond capacity, though, currently housing 12 dogs and 200 cats.
While space is always a premium, the sheer number of animals to care for means supplies can dwindle quickly.
The shelter is asking visitors to drop off treats and toys in Halloween buckets outside the cat rooms and kennels every Saturday this month.
"Having the trick or treat with the pets encourages people to come in and interact and see the animals. And hopefully, they're bringing friends, family, falling in love and adopting, spreading the word," said shelter director Scarlett Sterling.
The humane society is also in constant need of other donations like cleaning supplies, garbage bags and paper towels. The shelter created an Amazon wishlist to give ideas on what it is are looking for.
But the more important goal of the trick-or-treat events is to get these animals interacting with visitors and to keep them busy and happy with new toys while waiting for their forever home.
"Keeping the animals engaged keeps your animals healthy. It keeps their stress level down. A stressed cat can become a sick animal, a sick cat," Sterling said.
Emily Profitt, the Humane Society of Sandusky County's program coordinator, agreed.
"Treats and toys give the cats enrichment, gives them something to do, keeps their mind occupied while they're here at the shelter waiting for adoption," Profitt said.
The shelter animal trick-or-treat events will be at the Humane Society of Sandusky County during standard operating hours every Saturday in October from 1-4 p.m.