Pet Talk

by Cathy Davis
www.houltonanimalshelter.com
    Can anybody help me with something? I’ve lost June and don’t know where it went, has anybody seen it? What the heck is happening? Is it because it rained the entire month or is it just because I’m getting old and time flies faster and faster every day? Is it because we spend all winter wishing for summer and then when it gets here we don’t know enough to appreciate it?
    This has been, without a doubt, the most intense first six months of any year I can remember. Here is it, just about the Fourth of July already. Always my favorite time of the year and most certainly my favorite place to be. Houlton is just magical over the fourth, with Midnight Madness, concerts, the Fair, the Fireworks, there is so much to do, let’s hope it stops raining so we can all enjoy it!
    The Houlton Humane Society will be participating in Midnight Madness with strawberry shortcake in the park. This may be your first shortcake of the season and I’m sure you will enjoy the fresh biscuits, sweet berries and scrumptious topping. There is nothing that will rev you up for summer like the first berries.  
    We would really like to see you Friday night and hope you will stop by our booth, visit a few minutes, enjoy some shortcake, and help us raise some much needed money for the shelter. This has been a difficult year, as we all know many people have either been laid off or are facing cuts in hours or other financial hardships. Many of our donors have had to make difficult choices as to which charity they support, if any.
    A lot of folks have started using an automated bill paying system that is something that might work for you. Many will donate $10 a month that automatically comes to the shelter. That’s just $2.50 a week coming out of your paycheck or bank account and if enough people did this, we would never have to worry about where we are going to find the money to cover the payroll or pay the light bill. Just something to think about, set it up once, never have to worry about it again or cut another check!
    Can’t afford to donate, been laid off from your job? Maybe you would like to volunteer for a day a week while waiting for a new job or just a few hours a week. We could really use your help!
    And most important of all, the best way to help is to adopt. If you have room in your heart and your home for just one more pet, I know that we can match
you up with just the right companion to take home. Please stop by the Shelter any time and have the staff show you around. You can stay all day if you’d like, visit with the critters until one catches your eye and then play with it for a while to see if you think it might fit your home and your lifestyle.
    In the end, it’s all about the animals, either finding enough money to keep the shelter going for another day or another week or another month so we can take care of those animals that have no homes or placing animals in new homes, this is what we do, it’s all we do, it takes time, it takes patience, it takes money, it takes heart, it takes you!
    Partner with us, sponsor a fund-raiser, adopt a pet, come eat some shortcake in the park! We’ll see you Friday night.