Special to the Star-Herald
Have you heard about the open house that the Central Aroostook Humane Society will be having at the Riverside Park Building on April 24 at 6 p.m.? This will be a great opportunity to meet both staff and employees and enjoy a good time. If you like to cook, this is the function for you! For more information, visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society or give us a call at 764-3441.
The weather is getting so nice and my dogs are spending a lot of time outside with me lately. I see many people walking the bike path with their dogs, but the one thing that scares me to death is to see dogs unrestrained in the back of vehicles. It is against the law for your dog to ride unrestrained in the bed of your truck. It isn’t just for the dog’s safety but also for the other motorists on the road. If you see a dog who is unrestrained in the back of a pickup, call the police and let them know where they are. Cell phones are wonderful things. You may be saving that dog’s life or the life of a motorist. Think about it, the unrestrained dog sees another dog on the side of the road, he makes a huge dive out of the bed of the pickup and into traffic, other drivers will instinctively swerve to avoid the accident, possibly causing another. Do you want to be responsible for that? Laws are in place for a reason; it isn’t to inconvenience anyone; it is to protect you and others. If you must put your dog in the back of your truck, restrain it, it’s the law.
We had a call the other day at the shelter. A gentleman wanted to report dog abuse/neglect. We tried to explain that the humane society is not the place to file a report. We explained that he need to report suspected abuse or neglect to local law enforcement; if you don’t get any results, bump it up and make a report to the Department of Animal Welfare in Augusta. The shelter is a place that provides unwanted, abused, neglected and homeless animals a sanctuary. We feed the animals, we house them, we have them vetted and every one who is with us is loved. We have no policing authority; we can’t confiscate animals. It doesn’t matter what you see on Animal Planet, in Aroostook the ACOs work for the towns, not the shelter, so you must call your local law enforcement to get results or to file reports.
Unfortunately, not all animals from the Central Aroostook Humane Society are altered. If you want to adopt an unaltered animal, by state law, you must leave a deposit which will be refunded when you bring proof of sterilization to the shelter. Now is the time to help us perpetuate our Richard Scovil Spay and Neuter Fund. We had a generous donation a few years ago from Mr. Scovil, a county native who now resides in Florida, that altered many animals, but we need your help to keep that fund alive. Donating towards spaying and neutering is one of the kindest things you can do for these animals.
If you are looking for a friend for life, please consider adopting from the Central Aroostook Humane Society. Our business hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or give us a call at 764-3441. Hope to see you April 24 at Riverside Park to benefit the animals at the humane society.
Photo courtesy of Christine Robinson
PET HELPERS — Mallory and Jordyn Martin had a food and money drive at Washburn Food Mart to benefit the Central Aroostook Humane Society. Here, the girls are pictured with the items they recently dropped off at the shelter.
