The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is $50,000 closer to its goal of $3.7 million for a new facility. The Bank of Missouri presented a check to representatives of the Humane Society on Friday.
The capital fund campaign was kicked off in October and nearly $1.5 million has been raised so far.
More than 3,000 animals are brought to the Humane Society every year. “It is not your mother’s shelter anymore,” said Charlotte Craig, president of the Board of Directors for the Humane Society. “We are an integral part of the community and the infrastructure.”
The Humane Society serves 9-10 communities every day. Not only do individuals drop off unwanted animals, Cape County and several cities, including Cape Girardeau and Jackson, have contracts whereby animal control officers bring stray animals to the shelter.
Currently, the shelter finds homes for 94 percent of dogs and 73 percent of cats that are housed there. With a new facility, it is hoped that the additional space will allow the Humane Society to become a no-kill facility.
The new facility will also keep animals healthier by allowing sick animals to be isolated and by providing a separate ventilation system.
The Humane Society would like to have most of the $3.7 million in hand before it breaks ground on the new facility in June, according to Board Secretary Karen Honaas.
The new facility will be built next to the existing structure; the old building will continue to be used for awhile.
The new facility will provide:
• Attractive, well-lighted, temperature-controlled areas that make both animals and people feel happy, safe, and comfortable.
• Group housing for cats so they don’t have to spend their days in cages. These rooms will allow the public to interact with them, leading to more adoptions.
• Space for humane educational activities to teach people, specifically children, the importance and joy of caring for animals. This room will also be used for volunteer gatherings, training, and even birthday parties.
• Adequate, comfortable space for medical exams and grooming.
• Proper surfaces and floors that are easily cleaned and maintained with proper drainage in each kennel.
• Larger individual kennels with built-in systems to prevent disease from spreading and give the animals space and separation to support their mental health.
• Separate ventilation systems to help control the spread of disease and to minimize odors throughout the building. Fresh air will circulate in the dog, cat, and human areas.
• A better, cleaner environment will reduce both stress on the animals and the spread of disease in the shelter so fewer animals are euthanized due to illness.
If you would like to contribute to the capital fund campaign, contact a member of the Board of Directors or steering committee for the Humane Society, or call Executive Director Tracy Poston or Development Director Jennifer Sokolowski at 573-334-5837 or go to hssemo@semopets.org.
Board members are Charlotte Craig, Everett Cassady, Karen Honaas, Glenda Quinn, Sam Herndon, Cindy Lange and Janet Robert.
Steering Committee members (in addition to the Board members) are Narvol Randol, Dru Reeves, Laura Ritter, Jay Knudtson, Gunner Knudtson, Roy Merideth, Zane McClard, Glenda Quinn, Ken Kiefer, John M. Thompson and Walt Wildman.
