By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Robyn Green and her son Ayden went to an open house at the Shelby Humane Society on Dec. 11 to look at the dogs available for adoption, uncertain whether they would take one home.

Not long after they arrived, the Greens were walking out with a brown lab mix they adopted on the spot.

“We were just looking,” Robyn Green said. “We weren’t sure we would find something that would fit us, but we’re in love.”

On Dec. 11 and 12, the shelter invited local officials and the public to stop by for a tour in the newly revamped facility.

“This is almost our new beginning,” Van Luchene said. “We have just made some amazing changes here. We needed a general purging and cleaning.”

Van Luchene said shelter staff and volunteers spent the last six to eight weeks cleaning, repainting, reorganizing and adding new items to the facility, including 100 new dog beds provided by The Animal League of Birmingham.

“The reorganization gave us a great opportunity to do (the open house),” she said.

Thirteen cat and dog adoptions took place at the open house, and 17 intents were reported.

The shelter is currently running a Home for the Holidays adoption special through Dec. 24.

Reduced fees for adoption are as follows: Adult cats, $12; kittens, $25; adult dogs, $25; puppies (under six months), $25.

All pets leave fixed, chipped and with age-appropriate vaccines. Adopters also receive a free wellness exam with one of 19 participating vets.