Hillside SPCA is a no-kill animal shelter located in Pottsville, PA. We are always packed with animals waiting for adoption, and right now have about 100 dogs and 250 cats. We are not limited to them though, and have had guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, fish, horses, goats, chickens, and more.

Hillside is unlike most other SPCAs in that our dogs are treated more like our own pets rather than just a homeless, forgotten animal. They get to run together all day, and everyone goes in their kennel or condo at night. They get lots of toys to play with and tons of treats to snack on. They get 2 meals a day with wet and dry food.

And most importantly, no one ever has to worry about being euthanized simply for being there 'too long'. The only time an animal is put to sleep is when they are too sick or injured to be treated, or they are too aggressive to be rehabilitated. Those that don't get adopted will eventually go home with one of our workers. Some residents have stayed at Hillside for over 10 years, and those ones that don't make it are never forgotten.

Every dog gets their shots and deworming when they enter our shelter, and we try to get as many spayed and neutered before adoption. We will get an animal whatever veterinary care they need, even when our finances are stretched as tight as can be. In the months of July and August 2007, we had 3 dogs needing leg amputations after being found as strays that were hit by cars, and 2 needing emergency surgery for pyometra (an infected uterus). When an animal gets sick or injured they also need medication.

All these things add to our rising bills, but Hillside runs completely on donations. We get no money from the state for any of our services. We rely entirely on our amazing and generous donators, without whom we would not be able to exist! It is a constant struggle, and we all work very hard to raise more money for the shelter with fundraisers, yard sales, and more.

What we need most, and which we hope these videos may help, is adoptions. We had to stop taking animals from out of our county because we are just too full, but that doesn't stop people calling from as far away as New York because we are the closest no-kill shelter they can find. Although we try our hardest to give each animal the life it deserves, we are faced every day with the fear that, 'if we get one more dog in today, we might have to put someone to sleep to make room'. But we manage to shuffle the dogs around and make room somehow. And at the end of the day, we all go home and cry.

Please do not buy from a breeder or pet store. Adopt from your local animal shelter, and spay or neuter your pets! For every puppy or kitten born, another dies to make room. And for every human that is born, 7 puppies and kittens are born. There's obviously not enough homes for them all, which is why 7 to 10 million animals are killed in shelters every year in the US. The ones that make it to Hillside are lucky. Please don't breed or buy while shelter animals die!