Humane Society needs more money to keep its no-kill facility from closing

The Jackson-Madison County Humane Society might have to close its no-kill shelter in northeast Jackson within the next few weeks if more money cannot be found.

Board members described the situation as dire and said they would meet to consider options in the next few days.

"We hope enough people will donate that we can stay open, but closing is an option we may have to consider," said Amber Storey-Knight, vice president of the organization's board of directors. She said the immediate need is approximately $50,000.

"Ideally, this facility should be operating on a budget of $300,000 a year, but we've gotten by on $170,000," Storey-Knight said. The shelter operates solely on private donations. "We've gone through most of our funds with the expenses we've had this year, through an endowment and our fund-raising efforts. But the need keeps coming."

She said that the society will have to "go after grants" to try and get more adequate funding, "but those take time. The emergency exists right now."

Higher utility costs were cited, along with veterinary bills, even though many area vets provide services at reduced costs.

The shelter has four full-time and three part-time employees along with several volunteers on a staff Storey-Knight described as "skeleton."

The society also is grappling with a building that is literally being pulled apart by land that has been shifting underneath it since the May 2003 tornadoes knocked down a nearby stand of trees that prevented the erosion.

"We've tried to patch it as best we can, but ultimately we'll have to find a better situation," Storey-Knight said. "Ideally, if we could get land donated, we could then work toward funding of a new building, which would probably cost $1 million. We've had architects donate design work, which we have waiting."

The biggest problem, however, is that the population of stray and abandoned pets is now more than 200, in a facility designed to handle 150.

"This week, we had nine animals adopted," said Sandy Evans, the facility's executive director, "but we've had more than 20 come in."

She added, "People refuse to take responsibility for caring for pets, or getting them spayed or neutered. Last week we had someone literally throw a cat from a car window as he drove by."

She said that state law prohibits abandonment of a pet. "A police car was following; we flagged him down and said what happened. I hope they caught the guy."

Storey-Knight said the facility "wasn't accepting any more animals right now." Then she opened a bathroom door where a dachshund lay with four week-old puppies."

"Just left on our doorstep," she said. "How do you say no?"

Storey-Knight said that if the shelter were closed, "we would find homes for these animals."

As she left the facility, Storey-Knight stopped to talk with new shelter employee Alisa Davidson, cradling a new arrival, Ginger.

"I'm taking her home with me," said Davidson, who already has 10 dogs of her own. "I've got a couple of friends who need a foster dog. I'm going to try and convince them this is the one."

Pictured above: Lexi

Pets available for adoption

Article by Pete Wickham

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