Bobbis column from yesterdays OA news. Sunday Column 5.18.14 Then and Now Lee County Humane Society (LCHS) was incorporated forty years ago in 1974. It began as a grass roots effort led by a group of concerned citizens who saw that there was no one to help stray and abused animals in the Auburn-Opelika area. These folks began by developing a foster care system to pull these animals off the street and eventually get them into good homes. Originally LCHS was founded as a membership organization collecting dues to provide the cash flow needed to fund the work being done at that time. As the organization grew and raised additional funds a property on Highway 280 was purchased and the first bricks and mortar shelter was established. In the early days the new shelter was staffed by volunteers and funded solely through donations. In the mid-1990s the Alabama Department of Transportation purchased the LCHS property as part of a project to add additional lanes to Highway 280. This prompted LCHS to embark on a campaign to build the existing facility on Ware Drive. Construction was completed in 1999 providing a facility which houses as many as 170 - 190 cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies when full. Over the past several years local governments have contracted with LCHS to provide the state mandated seven day stray hold. These arrangements are common across the country however the mission of local governments and the mission of humane societies are often such a mismatch that both parties come up short. The lack of consistency came to a head last September for Lee County and Lee County Humane Society when the County made the decision to contract for the mandated stray hold through alternative vendors. The outcome of this separation has been positive for LCHS. Where previously we pushed the limits of our staff and our facility, today we are able to provide a high standard of care and much more hopeful outcomes for the majority of our animals. We not only adopt our animals out in the traditional sense but we now transport them to shelters in other states where spay neuter clinics have been made more accessible to the general public and birth rates of unwanted companion animals have plummeted. Puppies are in especially short supply in these areas. We are sometimes able to provide medical treatment to heartworm positive dogs or find adopters willing to take them in and treat them. A caring and compassionate public is stepping forward to provide homes for castaway ill and elderly animals and those who have lost their owners to terminal illness. Two years ago LCHS was considered a high kill shelter with a euthanasia rate of 70%. In the past several months that rate has dropped to well below 20%. With your donations our definition of “treatable” and “adoptable” will continue to expand so that this rate will drop even further. If you haven’t been out to see us for awhile we hope you will take the opportunity during our extended hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays when we are open until 7 pm. Warm summer nights are a great time to come out and say hi to our friendly and helpful staff and our wonderful adoptable pets. Ask for treats to hand out as you walk through the kennels and visit the cat room. The original membership program which fell by the wayside many years ago has recently been revived. It is a great way to contribute and to show the community that you support Lee County Humane Society. Individual memberships are only $35; family memberships are $50; and business memberships are $100. With each membership you will receive a window decal for your car and a discount on an adoption which you can use or pass on to a friend or family member. We can only do what we do with your help. Please consider supporting our work and making a real difference for the stray and unwanted companion animals of Lee County. Weekly Wish: Please go to leecountyhumane.org and click on Membership to complete an application. Mail to 1140 Ware Drive, Auburn, AL 36832 or drop it by in person.
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 12:36:30 +0000
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