Shelter "Sweethearts" Need Home

By Julie M. Fidler
What better way to share the love on Valentine’s Day than to adopt a “sweetheart?” There are plenty of them at the Humane Society of Independence County’s animal shelter in Batesville.

Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, there’s a sweet companion waiting for you. Many of the pets at the shelter have been there for years. Many were abused, abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Many are already house-trained, and all are spayed or neutered.

According to Bev Finch, executive shelter director, for a $50 charge, not only will you bring home your new companion, you won’t have vet fees to “fix” your friend (usually a cost of well over $50). Each pet has already had all its shots (except rabies and feline leukemia) and is guaranteed healthy.

“In six years, ONE female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies,” said Finch. “In seven years, ONE female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens.”

Since 2002, when the doors to the shelter opened, the Humane Society has taken in 5,252 animals -- all at no cost to the county.

“We have assisted in helping 1,077 low-income families get their companion animals sterilized at greatly reduced prices at our spay/neuter clinics,” Finch said.

The Humane Society of Independence County holds fund-raisers throughout the year to cover the cost of the animals’ needs. Bark in the Park is one of those events. Finch said it was quite successful last year.

The event was held at Riverside Park in Batesville and drew a good crowd, she said. “There were activities and games for all ages. People brought out their pets, and it was just a lot of fun.”

The Humane Society is planning a “trivia night” for March as another fun way to raise money. Finch said she recently attended one such event in Mountain Home for an animal shelter there. She said people are divided into teams and asked questions similar to a game show. The exact date for the fund-raiser hadn’t been set at press time.

For those who would love to have a sweet canine or feline friend but, for some reason, are unable to adopt one, there’s still plenty they can do to help. Money is always good.

Finch said she appreciates all of the donations the shelter receives, not just the monetary ones. One can also donate time, and not necessarily a lot of it. “People think, if they’re going to volunteer, it’s going to take up a lot of their time,” she said. “Not so. You can sign up for a few hours a year, if you want.”

A volunteer dog-walking group meets every Thursday to take the dogs for a two-mile walk. Other volunteers are needed just to sit with animals at PetSense in Batesville each Saturday. The shelter keeps some cats at the store, which makes them more visible to customers. Dogs are brought in on Saturdays.

If you can’t give money or time, other donations are always accepted. Items such as cat litter and old bed sheets and towels are just as valuable, according to Finch. Other things the shelter always needs include laundry detergent, bleach, dog biscuits and cat toys.

The Humane Society of Independence County is located at #5 Environmental Drive, along Hwy. 167 North,
adjacent to the Recycling Center. Shelter manager is Lauren Howard.

The shelter is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shelter is closed Sunday and Monday. The phone number is 870.793.0090. You may view adoptable pets by going to www.petfinder.com/shelters/AR65.html.