The Roice-Hurst Humane Society marked the fifth anniversary of establishing its Animal Resource Center and efforts to strengthen bonds between pets and their owners.

Since it was established in June 2016, the center has provided pet behavior and training classes; free and low-cost spay, neuter and vaccination clinics; crisis boarding; and thousands of pounds of pet food.

Anna Stout, chief executive officer at Roice-Hurst Humane Society, said the center was established to avoid situations in which pets are brought to the shelter because of problem behaviors or medical needs their owners can’t afford. “It’s painful to watch someone give up a pet they love because of circumstances they can’t control,” Stout said. “We realized that one way or another, we were going to provide those resources like behavior training or medical care to that pet, whether it was in our care of the owner. It made more sense to provide them to the owner so that the bond didn’t have to be broken and at the same time the shelter saved the cost of sheltering that pet.”

The Roice-Hurst Humane Society operates a nonprofit shelter and adoption center that provides housing, medical treatment and care for dogs and cats as well as resources for pet owners. For more information about the organization and Animal Resource Center programs and services, visit www.rhhumanesociety.org or call Ashley DiGardo at 434-7337, extension 103.