PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A huge success! That’s what organizers are calling a region-wide project led by The County’s four hospitals and The County Federal Credit Union to support four animal shelters in northern, central and southern Aroostook. Pitch in for the Paws, a coordinated collection drive for items to stock the shelves at the animal welfare organizations that take in stray and abandoned pets has resulted in more than $5,000 worth of goods that won’t need to be purchased by the shelters in the coming months.
The four area shelters benefitting from the drive each were faced with a critical need for supplies and food for animals that have been abandoned and are now in their care. The Houlton Humane Society, Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle, Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou, and PAWS Animal Welfare Society in Fort Kent, all typically see a swell in the number of abandoned and homeless animals in their care at this time of year.
“This is an amazing help to the Central Aroostook Humane Society! Donations of items means that our money can be spent on other things, such as medical help for the animals,” said Christine Robinson, president of the CAHS Board of Directors. “We are so grateful to the wonderfully generous people who donated their time and items to our cause, and to the four County Hospitals and County Federal Credit Union for leading this effort. Getting animals out of the cold and into our shelter where they find comfort, food and warmth is so very important this time of year, and these donated items help us to be able to provide this much needed service.”
Employees at Northern Maine Medical Center, Cary Medical Center, TAMC, and Houlton Regional Hospital, along with The County Federal Credit Union, spearheaded the effort to aid local animal shelters in collaboration with a number of area businesses and organizations. Donated items and monetary gifts collected through the drive, which began on October 31, were handed over to the animal shelter closest to each hospital.
“Partnering with Northern Maine Medical Center on something like this is so valuable,” said Jean Cobb of the Fort Kent PAWS Animal Welfare Society. “We are a small organization and it would be difficult to do this alone. The supplies and cash donations that we received will get us through for two to three months at the shelter.” Cobb went on to say that these donations not only help the animals but also the people. “There are people who love their pets but they can’t afford the food so some of the donations actually serve to keep these pets out of the shelter.”
The Pitch in for the Paws program was first introduced at TAMC two years ago by the TAMC Total Health Team after members of the group heard about the great need for supplies at The Central Aroostook Humane Society that was compounded by the coming winter months and associated general increase in expenses. In the fall of 2013, the well-received effort was expanded to assist not just one, but two shelters in the region. Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou has benefited for the second year from the collection drive and this time around received items for cats collected in the Caribou area and at Cary Medical Center and half of the cat donations in the Presque Isle area and at TAMC.
“What a huge help this is for all of our rescuers,” said Norma Milton, president of Halfway Home Pet Rescue. “We are all heading in the time of year when the donations drop and the feline crowd builds up. Come January, February and March, we are always worried sick. This will give us a great start as generally in the winter we barely have enough for the shelter crowd and the feral colonies and have to forego the shut-in elderly and disabled or try to personally go out and buy for them ourselves.”
Dedicated to the health and wellness of The County community, the four County hospitals appreciate the important role that pet ownership can play in a patient’s care and overall quality of life. Owning a pet has been shown to reduce stress, improve recovery times, lessen symptoms of depression, reduce levels of anxiety and increase physical activity.
The animal welfare organizations require a great many supplies in order to meet the needs of displaced pets throughout Aroostook County. This is the first year that shelters in the St. John Valley and southern Aroostook, and the hospitals that serve those respective regions, take part in the project.
“Absolutely amazing is all we can say! We are so grateful for all the donations,” said Heather Miller, executive director of the Houlton Humane Society. “The work of Houlton Regional Hospital, the County Federal Credit Union and a number of other businesses and organizations in southern Aroostook County will greatly help us get through the winter months.”
The four hospitals, health centers and other locations affiliated with the medical providers, all branches of the County Federal Credit Union, and a good number of other businesses and organizations throughout the region had collection boxes available on-site beginning on October 31. Items donated in each region were gathered and brought to the nearest hospital where the local animal shelter came to pick up the donations.
“The County Federal Credit Union is very proud to partner with our local hospitals and other organizations for the 2014 Pitch in for the Paws campaign. The efforts of so many people resulted in a tremendous success and we are extremely pleased with the results,” said Laurie Colton, CFCU assistant vice president, loan operations. “All of the Aroostook County shelters benefitted from the generosity of our communities. It is encouraging to see that so many people are willing to help fulfill the needs of our furry friends during the coming winter months.”
Because the PAWS Animal Welfare Society in Fort Kent and Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou only care for cats, and any stray or abandoned dogs in those areas would likely be taken to the Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle, donations of items specific to dogs collected in the St. John Valley were given to the Fort Kent Police Department, which temporarily houses dogs before they are sent to CAHS. Caribou area dog items were given to CAHS directly.
