I just did a story on our local Humane Society of Logan County. They use the name but aren't affiliated with any national chapter. They are a group of 150 individuals who, seeing a need for an animal shelter, formed their group two plus years ago.
The need was there as our local animal control facility couldn't handle the influx of dogs and cats and a great many of them were being killed. Notice I didn't say euthanized. I find no need to make something such as death to have a more palatable name.
The group has been nothing short of amazing. They have had at least two, often three fundraisers every month to collect enough to build and maintain a shelter. In the time they have been working they are now approaching $350,000 in money in the bank.
That, of course, is enough to build the shelter but this group has their heads on their shoulders and they know they need to have at least an additional two years of costs collected before they take on the process of building. They realize that it is just as important to have the funds to keep the shelter open as it is to build it. They don't want to start something and be forced to close operations soon after start up.
These folks do dog washes, cookouts, sell handbags and purses at the fair, make Christmas cookies and offer pancake and sausage breakfasts or something else almost half the Saturdays in the year. I was taken aback when I saw their reports that showed in 2008 that they had logged 8,500 volunteer hours on behalf of animals. So far in 2009, they are ahead of that schedule.
Such an effort means they deserve more help.
At the Lincoln Daily News we have for several years posted pictures of dogs and cats at risk at the local animal control building. From time to time we get word that one of those animals found a home and it is a rewarding feeling. But it isn't enough and so we will increase our interest in helping by creating a separate section just for animals at risk.
Besides having all pictures of the dogs and cats at the pound, we will also have all pictures of the animals under foster care with Humane Society families. We will include as much information about the animal as possible and try and focus directly on the animals most in jeopardy of being killed.
We will also include stories on animal care and behavior and we will open the page, subject to edit, for anyone who wants to share their stories about their pets and the effect they have had on their lives. I hope some of you Warpies will help with a story or two.
It will be a large undertaking. In a way it will be its own website and we will run this initially without sponsorship covering the costs of posting all of this. But it is something worth doing and hopefully businesses and groups will see the value of being in that section and we can at least break even down the road.
We are in our busiest season for local events but we will get this off and running by this fall. We all know we can't save every cat and dog that deserves to be saved. So we will start one at a time.
Sadly, today is already too late for some animal that would have made a great and loyal pet and in the days that follow there will be more. I can only apologize for not doing more sooner.
Freelance writer, columnist, author and writing coach, ex-Chicagoan Mike Fak presently resides in Central Illinois. More information about Mike's services are available at his home website www.mikefak.com
Mike currently writes primarily humor columns for searchwarp bi-weekly and is the managing editor of www.lincolndailynews.com
Mike now offers a 26,000 word e-book on making money as a freelance writer for only $10.00 at this page. http://www.mikefak.com/id45.html
» left by Frank Vitale from Maryland (130 days 9 hours ago.)
Mike really enjoyed the article so much. I am really glad to hear that they are going about it in the right way. I have to tell you at the pet washes got to bring thr camera! Lots of laughs for sure. Again thanks and keep update on project thanks. We have a pet site and have links to other shelters around the country.
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