Get Healthy: Brighten up your life with a furry friend at CASI

This column appears in the Nevada Appeal Wednesday health pages. It addresses topics related to the health of our community.

Carson City Animal Services staffers and volunteers want the community to know that they are moving forward by adopting new policies and procedures to make the facility even better. For the animals at the shelter, that means finding a new family to love. You can help them do just that.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 26, Carson City Animal Services will hold adoption events at Tractor Supply, 2035 E. William St.

People interested in adopting a new furry family member can meet some of the wonderful dogs that are available through the Pups on Parole Program. Through Pups on Parole, dogs that may need additional training are paired with prisoners who help give the dogs basic obedience training to improve their adoptability.

Tonya Petri, volunteer coordinator for Carson City Animal Services, said the shelter tries to coordinate adoption events a couple of times each month, depending on the availability of volunteers. For those who are interested in volunteering, the main qualification is a love of animals. Applications can be picked up at the event and are available at the shelter.

Volunteers are needed to help with adoption events and socializing with animals at the shelter. Hours at Carson City Animal Services are from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The adoption fee for a dog that has been spayed or neutered is $90, and for a cat is $70. Unaltered pets can be adopted for $20, but arrangements will have to be made for the animal to be spayed or neutered before it will be able to go home to its new family. For more information about adopting a pet, go to www.carsoncityanimalservices.com.