Humane Society Offers More While Struggling with Less

It's been just over one year since the St. Joseph Bay Humane Society held the grand opening of its new, state of the art care and adoption facility in Port St. Joe. What a difference a year makes.

The building at 1007 Tenth Street is officially named the Carolyn M. and Leon Lee-Cindy Cox White Adoption Center, in honor of the people who worked for the animals and who started the Humane Society in Gulf County over a decade ago. Now the Humane Society has many members and supporters, a board of directors and countless volunteers who keep the place running.

Within the past year, the Humane Society has expanded its services to the community by taking in far more animals than it could manage in the past, hosting what is now the very popular annual Paws in the Park-Bow Wow Bash as its main fundraising activity, establishing a very active dog adoption program with other states, setting up a foster home program in town, offering free spay-neuter programs, selling flea medication, and now selling Science Diet for dogs and cats for the convenience of county residents.

"As of this week, Science Diet products for cats, kittens, puppies and dogs, and wet and dry treats will be available to the public at our office," announced Sandi Christy, one of the Society's board of directors. "We're going to start by offering the basics and taking requests for other items in the line."

By carrying the Science Diet products at the Humane Society in Port St. Joe, area residents will save a trip to Eastpoint, Wewahitchka and Panama City to purchase the popular brand of animal food, she said.

Since the Society is on the Science Diet shelter program and already feeds its animals that brand, the Society will be able to purchase the brand products at a discount and sell them at retail, which will benefit the Society, Christy explained.

People are also able to purchase Frontline Plus flea-tick medication for their cats and dogs at the Tenth Street facility.

Successes for Society

A recent free spay-neuter program that the Society offered resulted in 134 animals in Gulf County being fixed, Christy said, at a cost of about $7,500 to the Society. But it was well worth it, she added.

"We've asked the county commissioners to place money in the upcoming budget for a spay-neuter program because we believe this is the permanent solution for animal control in Gulf County," Christy explained.

The Society will offer the free program again after this year's Bow Wow Bash, she said, since that is where the funding for the program comes from.

The Society's joint venture with New England dog adoption programs is continuing to be wildly successful, according to Christy.

The St. Joseph Bay Humane Society regularly sends eight to 10 dogs each month north to New England to families ready to take the furry companions.

Needs Increase

But with the good often comes the not-so-good.

With the economy in a downturn since January, the Humane Society is caught in the same situation as everybody else - money is very tight and donations are drying up.

"For the first time in 11 years, we are actively soliciting donations," Christy admitted.

While the Society in Gulf County is not planning to close its doors, like the Bay County Humane Society has been reporting it might have to do, Gulf County's facility is down about $50,000 in donations this year, Christy said.

And, just like families are experiencing, less money coming in does not mean expenses decrease as well.

The Society must still meet its $20,000 monthly budget (inclusive of all monthly costs, according to Christy). A significant portion of that cost - just like families experience - is for insurance and the U.S. Department of Agriculture 30-year loan on the new building.

Then there is payroll, cost of gas to drive animals to the veterinarian in Eastpoint or Panama City and to rendevous points for out-of-state exchanges, food, supplies, and on and on.

Added to that is the additional drain on Society resources when they take in dogs not accounted for in the monthly budget. And that number is climbing because of the bad economy and foreclosures.

According to Melody Townsend, the Society's director, of the average 55 animals coming into the shelter each month, "at least 10 to 12 are here strictly because people are not able to care for them anymore, or must give them up because their owners have lost their homes to foreclosure."

The stories about abandoned "foreclosure" animals are devastating.

Someone just recently surrendered her pure-bred long-haired dachshund because she had to leave her home and could not take him with her.

Townsend recently received three dogs from one home. Another person had to leave his home, took the mother dog but abandoned three puppies in the back yard. A neighbor called the Humane Society.

Another person abandoned his home and a litter of newborn puppies in the yard. The Society has already adopted out three of them.

"This is literally a one to two-time occurrence every week," Townsend said. "People are moving and can't afford to - or don't want to fool with - keeping their pets."

If anyone in Gulf County must give up his or her pets because of forced moving, Townsend and Christy both were adamant about being able to help.

"Please, please do not abandon your animals. Bring them to the Humane Society and we'll take them. That's our mission," Christy pleaded.

"And please do it before they become flea-infested and sick," Townsend added. "If you wait, it costs us more to treat and medicate the animals."

"People don't need to be embarrassed about surrendering their animals to the Society," Christy said. "Everyone will be treated with respect. Believe me, we understand the situation. We would much rather you bring in your pets if you can't keep them than find your pet when it is sick or starving."

 Constant Needs List for St. Joseph Bay Humane Society:

- Soft stuffed animals for dogs

- Play toys for cats

- Old towels, blankets, sheets, comforters, rugs

- Reams of office paper

- Canned dog and cat food

- Kitty litter (non scoopable)

- Pine cleaner and bleach

- Brooms, mops

- Laundry detergent and dish detergent

- Paper towels and 33-gallon trash bags

 (Next week: a preview of the 2008 Paws in the Park/Bow Wow Bash and specific ways to help the St. Joseph Bay Humane Society through the gifts of time, goods and dollars.)