Shelter Pets
Meet Chip & Bates

Shelter pets Chip and his feline brother, Bates, represent the residents at the Ontario County Humane Society. They greet guests, work at the shelter, and run the show behind the scenes.

Chip, a tripod mixed breed, arrived at the shelter in February 2021 as a victim of cruelty. We had been informed at the time that Chip had lost his front leg after encountering a coyote when he was young. Despite missing a leg, Chip is a very active boy! He runs, jumps, and plays as well as any other dog (sometimes better!). Chip was selected for the Shelter Dog Program by our Director. When on duty as Officer Chip his job includes greeting guests, photo ops (often in costume!), and testing resident dogs and cats to determine the likelihood of them acclimating with his species. In his free time, Chip enjoys snacks, running full speed around the property, and squeaky toys.

Bates, a DSH, arrived at the shelter in October 2020 with 7 brothers and sisters. Bates and his siblings had been surrendered due to overcrowding at his previous home. Bates was quickly selected for the Shelter Cat Program due to his temperament with other pets. When on duty as Officer Bates his job includes socializing undersocialized cats, kittens, and small animals, being foster dad to orphaned litters, photo ops (often in costume!), greeting guests, and testing resident dogs and cats to determine the likelihood of them acclimating with his species. In his free time, Bates enjoys laying on paperwork, playing games on his computer, and napping.

Chip and Bates can be visited at Happy Tails Animal Shelter during business hours. Check out their photo album below!