Annual ‘Paws’ walk is coming
PET BULLETIN
‘Mews and Yips’ from the Central Aroostook Humane Society
By Carolyn L. Cheney
Just a quick reminder that our Annual Paws for the Cause Walk will be Saturday, June 4, at 10 a.m. You can print a pledge sheet right from our Facebook page and come out for some great fun! Rain or shine, hope to see you there!
The board of directors of the Central Aroostook Humane Society is a wonderful team that works very hard to provide for the daily care of their animals. It seems that it is always an ongoing struggle for us to make ends meet. Some of the sources of our income are: small state reimbursement for dogs, financial support from the various towns with which we contract, annual fundraisers and the generous donations from the general public.
We are so thankful for the wonderful people, civic groups and businesses who help support us. A very special thank you to the children, who in lieu of receiving gifts, ask their party guests to bring needed shelter items to the birthday party. These children are learning some very valuable lessons at a very young age, and we are so appreciative of them. We are proud of the children and applaud their parents for encouraging them to give at an early age.
Every year we do our budget and hope we can keep our expenses within the budget; however, like everyone else, generally something which is beyond our control happens and the money situation becomes extremely difficult. The utility costs and medical costs for the animals are two areas which are very difficult for us to control.
There is a misconception among some that volunteers manage our shelter. Thankfully, we have some wonderful volunteers who provide a great deal of help and work at socializing the animals. However, it is necessary that we have a paid staff. We have three full-time employees and one part-time employee who manage the shelter. These folks are professional and well trained, and most importantly they have an outstanding attitude and understanding of animal welfare.
These four employees do wonderful work, and sometimes the circumstances under which they work are very sad and disturbing. We salute our employees, and if our finances allowed we would like to be able to do more for our employees.
Again, regarding our financial situation, our budget must cover wages and the limited benefits we are able to give them. In addition to employee wages, we have the usual expenses that other businesses have, including utilities, medical care for the animals, insurances, office supplies, pet food and kitty litter, which is a huge expense.
How can you help us keep our financial situation in the black? If you wish to donate supplies, cleaning products, cat food and non-clumping kitty litter are most welcome.
There are numerous ways to donate financially, and I will list a few: (1) general donation, (2) in honor of someone, (3) in memory of a friend or relative, (4) in honor of someone’s birthday.
A cage sponsorship is a wonderful way to donate and it can be ongoing. To do a cage sponsorship, you give $10 a month, and it can be paid monthly, quarterly or annually. A plaque is affixed to either a cat or dog cage (you specify). The plaque will have your name on it if you wish, or it can be in honor of someone or in memory of someone (a person or an animal).
Planned giving is a wonderful means to helping an organization. Naming the Central Aroostook Humane Society as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), retirement plan, or adding the Central Aroostook Humane Society to your will would ensure on-going support to the Shelter in years to come. If interested in planned giving and you want further information, call the shelter at 764-3441, and they will put you in touch with a board member.
Thank you again to all who donate to us. Please know financial donations are used very wisely and for items we need to maintain the shelter and for necessary supplies for our four-legged friends.
Please visit us at the shelter at 26 Cross Street, Presque Isle, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with the shelter closed 12-12:30 for lunch. We know you will find a friend for life there, which is really the most important way you can help the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
Carolyn Cheney is a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Aroostook Humane Society.
