No-kill animal shelter in dire straits

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The Houlton Humane Society’s president says closing their doors at the end of the year is a real possibility because the facility constructed for 60 cats and 10 dogs is housing 210 cats and 12 dogs without enough money to pay the staff, administrative costs and the bank.
    “We’re going to be out of business in three weeks. It was two weeks, but we got some money, says Cathy Davis, Humane Society president. [see Business Section] “To be frank, I need $12,000 to get us through to the beginning of the year.”
Tough economy for owners and pets
    “People are abandoning animals like crazy.  And I think the reason for it is that they are terrified that they can’t afford to feed them because of the cost of home heating fuel and all the other increases in costs, lately,” Davis continued.  But, she added that with a pet food pantry, where the shelter accepts and makes donations of pet food,  economic reasons should not stand between a cat or dog and its owner.
Plan ahead
    The overcrowding at the shelter is partially due to people, about to move, who wait until the last minute to find a home for a cat or dog and end up abandoning them. On top of that is the sheer number of kittens and puppies being born.
    “We have 40 kittens here. There shouldn’t be a single kitten born in the state of Maine.  Every single cat and dog needs to be spayed and neutered.  If you can’t afford to do it, call us. We will find the money somehow,” says Davis. However, she also says the shelter is only responsible for abandoned and stray animals — not animals that owners no longer want.
    As a shelter with a “no-kill policy,” the Houlton Humane Society often feels the wrath of residents who simply want to dump a pet who is a problem in some aspect of their lives and then blames the shelter for not putting animals to sleep.
Many ways to help
    In addition to donating food or money, Shelter Director Naomi Williams and Davis agree they need to  supplement the 10 staff and 35 volunteers with more volunteers who will commit to a regular schedule — especially dog walkers.  Shelter hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week; donations are tax-deductible.