Fort Fairfield no longer contracting
with Humane Society
By Christine Cowett Robinson
Special to the Star-Herald
Welcome to 2012; this is the 12th year that I have written the Pet Bulletin. I hope you have enjoyed it. Some weeks are easier to write than others, but every week it gets done to keep you informed about what is happening at the shelter, share stories, events and educate.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society has been in business for 46 years, faithfully serving the communities of Central Aroostook County. Other rescues have come and gone but the Humane Society has proven that we are here for the duration.
This has been an amazing journey for me personally; I have been on the Board of Directors for 14 years and 13 of them as president of the Board. I have seen our shelter grow and change.
The support we receive each year helps us to save the lives of animals of our area. The Central Aroostook Humane Society provides a warm, safe haven for those animals that are lost or abandoned, and we provide nourishing food, medical attention and lots of love. That is why we are called a Humane Society and not “the pound.” It is because we care about the welfare of the animals after they leave our facility, as well as when they are with us. We care about that dog left tied out in the cold with no shelter or cats in the streets freezing and starving. We do much more than take in animals; we also visit different organizations, and we teach children about dog bite prevention and responsible pet ownership. We educate those who are not familiar with what the Humane Society does.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society has no policing authority, so if you need to report an animal in distress or being abused, please contact your local animal control officer who can be easily reached through your police department. These are the people on the front line, the trenches, who will investigate and report, who track, capture and bring the stray animals to the shelter. We have a wonderful working relationship with the animal control officers because of a mutual respect for the jobs we do. Once the animal comes through the doors of the shelter, they are no longer the responsibility of the town but of the shelter and we take it from there.
I own a boarding kennel and this holiday vacation I was reminded of the good in people once again. At one point, a few years ago, a large number of Pekinese dogs were taken from their home; the conditions were horrible, and the dogs were dirty — some in need of medical attention. This one particular dog came to us blind. We were unsure as to what to do for him. Who would adopt a blind dog? Well, Pooh Bear was adopted. He is such a kind little soul and his owners absolutely adore him. He is nicely groomed, has a warm bed, good food, a very full life — he is home. I was lucky enough to babysit Pooh Bear during the holiday — and to know what an absolutely precious little guy he is, a true gift.
We will be forever grateful to the people who adopt from us, especially those who take the “not so perfect” pets home. There is no time limit on how long we will keep a dog or cat at the Humane Society; they stay until a home is found.
Do we have to euthanize at times? Yes, we will humanely euthanize any animal that is dangerous or broken beyond repair — when it is the humane thing to do. We do the right thing.
Again, just a friendly reminder to the residents of Fort Fairfield, as of Jan. 1, your town no longer contracts with us, so we will no longer accept strays from your town. If you want to owner surrender an animal, we will take it at two times the cost of that for a town who does contract with us, if we have room. We are greatly saddened by this decision that your town officials have made. We have enjoyed serving your community for many years. Good luck with your new venture, “Canine Clink.” If you are a resident and have any questions about the new procedures, please contact Town Manager Dan Foster at 472-3800.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society at 26 Cross St., Presque Isle, ME 04769. You can give us a call at 764-3441, visit us online at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org or visit us on Facebook.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered! Happy New Year!
