CITY FOCUS:

The Orange County Humane Society is being rebuilt, but as new walls go up, adoption rates at the shelter have fallen.

Shelter workers say pet adoptions have slowed to a trickle, mostly because people driving by assume the humane society is closed during construction, which began in May. It’s important to get the pets the organization is sheltering adopted so they can rescue more strays.

“The more we adopt out, the more animals we can take in and rescue,” said Bree Justice, a Humane Society employee.

The nonprofit is a “low-kill” shelter, which means animals are only euthanized when terminally ill, or aggressive and dangerous. The animals have no time limits — they are provided for until they are adopted.

Adoption rates might also be affected by the shelter’s requirement that adopters provide a mortgage statement or a rental agreement showing that pets are allowed.

This is to ensure the pets are going to a home that can care for them. It also stops people from making snap decisions to adopt animals and gives them time to reconsider.

“You never want to just decide, ‘I want this dog’ and then realize you can’t take care of them,” Humane Society Manager Jean Del Rosario said.

Shelter officials are working on a community campaign to let people know that they are open. The humane society has room for dogs, cats and rabbits at the temporary shelter.

Del Rosario manages both the Orange County Humane Society and the for-profit AAA Animal Hospital, which works with the shelter. The hospital has set up an interim hospital in trailers behind the construction. Dr. Samir Botros owns the hospital and the humane society.

The hospital treats all the animals the organization shelters. Animals receive any medical care they need along with vaccinations and spay and neutering. The hospital also outfits each pet with a microchip to track owner information in case the animal is lost.

Botros is paying about $200,000 in construction costs out of pocket. He hopes private donations will help offset the costs.

The original buildings were in bad shape after being used for more than 30 years, Del Rosario said.

“It was really old and run-down,” Del Rosario said. “It was just time.”

The new facilities will have the hospital front along Newland Street with the Humane Society shelter in back. The dogs will get indoor/outdoor kennels that will keep dogs out of the cold at night.

There will also be an area set aside for potential owners to play with their prospective pets. Del Rosario said this allows time to interact with the dogs while they’re off the leash. It gives families a better picture of how the animal will interact with them at home.

The amenities of the animal hospital will stay virtually the same. It will have the same features as the original building. The new hospital will include a grooming area.

Nothing of the old facilities will remain after construction is completed.

“It’s basically a whole new building for us,” Del Rosario said.

The shelter will also offer a revamped website. For more information on the Orange County Humane Society, visit www.ochumanesociety.com.