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By LIZZIE BOWEN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Oak View Animal Hospital accomplished a lot in the past year and reunited many owners with their furry friends.

Julia Evans, veterinary assistant, has been at Oak View Animal Hospital for 15 years striving to help, save and reunite lost animals with their owners.

Evans said in 2022, the animal hospital tool in more strays than ever before. Oak View has a contract with the city of Pelham to hold stray animals until the owner is located.

“We check for a microchip to locate (the) owner if a stray is not wearing a collar,” Evans said.  “If an animal is not claimed we neuter and spay, treat them for parasites, check for heartworms and treat if needed.”

Evans said, at times, the hospital must check strays for skin problems and injuries. Rabies vaccinations are required by law, and every animal is given the vaccine before leaving with an owner.

“We also vaccinate the sweet strays and start them on heartworm, flea and tick prevention,” Evans said. “We then post them on social media to find forever homes.”

Last year, Oak View Animal Hospital reunited 37 pets with their owners, and 29 more dogs were adopted.

“We do not get as many cats and kittens, but we always find homes for them,” Evans said. “Thirteen kittens now have homes. We took in a few litters last year and found homes for all. This year we hope to have more people microchip and register their pets. A lot of the strays we take in have a microchip that was never registered. We can track down the microchip, it would just be easier if the owners registered their pet.”

Evans said that the hospital took in a litter of pyranees puppies, and that this year seemed to be the “year of the pyranees” as many were rescued and rehomed in 2022.

“We took in a four-month-old female, a full grown two year ole male, a four-year-old female all at different times and were able to find all of them homes,” Evans said. “One client adopted both of the adults, and they are the now living a great spoiled life as couch potatoes!  Last year we took in a bull terrier we named Spud. We decided to reach out to a bull terrier rescue for help. Spud had a bad skin problem, was treated and adopted. Spud’s new owners came all the way from Canada to adopt him.”

Evans said she is very thankful for the support she has received from the people of Pelham, Helena and Alabaster. Many people share posts on social media to spread word about animals who have been found or need homes.

“We have so many happy home stories,” Evans said. “This is a hard job because ultimately we fall in love with them. We are so happy when they get a home. Almost everyone at Oak View has adopted one of our strays.

“I can’t tell you how loving and caring the veterinarians are that diagnose, spay, neuter and treat these pets are,” Evans said. “They make sure that once ready for adoption the pet is as healthy as can be. I don’t believe there is a better place for them than our clinic. We are not able to take in very many, but when we do, we treat them as our own.”