Special to the Star-Herald
It’s Christmas; has everyone been nice this year?
The Central Aroostook Humane Society has been blessed with many generous donations from our supporters. Our lobby is just busting with bleach, laundry detergent, cat litter and various other gifts.
Presque Isle Middle School and High School donations arrived by the truckload, as did the DFAS donations and donations from the Presque Isle Elks Lodge. There were just too many donors to thank them all individually, so let me just say that even if you donated just one jug of laundry soap, we appreciate it. Every item donated is one less item we have to budget for. Your generosity has touched our hearts. We had worried how we would survive with the rising prices, etc., so we have tightened our belts once again, hunkering down for a tough winter. These donations are like sighing a sigh of relief to us.
There were also many generous donations also made to our “Heart” fund. Heart is doing much better, but is still at the vet clinic. He is on the mend and has a home waiting for him when he is better. This poor kitty is a lucky boy. It makes me wonder though, how many animals are out there in the same condition who haven’t been found. Times are tough, but what happened to Heart is not the answer. If you can’t keep your pet, please call the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We will do our very best to help you and your animal. I am so pleased that with your help we are able to give him a second chance at a wonderful life.
I have to share this with you, since the first of November we have adopted out 65-70 cats; and currently we have only 15-16 cats available for adoption. How awesome is that? We only have two dogs available for adoption. (Let me add that with spring come kittens and as we are low on animals today, tomorrow may be another story. It seems that our message to spay or neuter your animals is being heard. But we have so much more work to do, it honestly never ends.) It would be a wonderful Christmas present if all of our animals found wonderful, loving, forever homes. However, please do not get a pet as a gift for an unsuspecting recipient; they may not appreciate the gesture. Make it a family affair, so that each member will be happy with the pet you choose. This is a huge commitment, so please don’t take it lightly. These are precious little lives, not video games or dolls. They will live a very long time if you take good care of them and do cost money to have; you can’t just ignore them or forget about them. Please consider this a serious decision.
The weather has been horrible and I worry about the animals left out in the cold, struggling to stay warm. If you have a dog, the safest place for that dog is inside your house. If that is not possible, please provide them a draft-free shelter, off the ground, full of dry, clean bedding. Provide extra food and fresh water. The same is true for a cat, inside is the best. Don’t forget your farm animals, they need a shelter to get out of the wind and throw them a bit extra hay. They call horses “hay burners” because eating hay keeps them warm, but they still need shelter from the winds. Owning an animal, no matter what breed or species, is a huge responsibility. They depend on us to be smart enough to know how to care for them, don’t let them down! If you see an animal without adequate shelter, standing in the cold or huddled in a ball trying to stay warm, with no shelter, report it! By speaking out, you may be saving the dog’s life and will most definitely end its suffering. That is what animal control officers do, they investigate and try to educate. So call your police department and they will dispatch an officer to address the complaint. We need to be the voice for the voiceless.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society often. We would like to also acknowledge Teena Buckingham and Shawna Boyer for their tremendous help during the holidays, and also Helen Palmer for the wonderful pictures at Santa Paws. If you have not collected your pictures yet, please stop by soon!
From all of us at the Central Aroostook Humane Society, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Photo courtesy of Christine Robinson
KRISTEN ALLEN, 15, decided instead of receiving a gift this Christmas, she’d donate to the Central Aroostook Animal Shelter. Allen’s $150 contribution will be put toward a cage sponsorship that will benefit future tenants at the Presque Isle facility.
Contributed photo
TIM VERNON, vice president at MMG Insurance Co. in Presque Isle, hands Betsy Hallett, manager at the Central Aroostook Humane Society, a $500 check to be used for shelter expenses. A pair of Boston Bruins tickets were given to MMG’s claims department, which Vernon decided to auction off and donate the proceeds to the humane society.
