Special to the Star-Herald
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! Last week, Shawn and Josh, two representatives from Lowes, came to visit us at the shelter and said, “Come to Lowes, we want to make a donation.” Our manager wasted no time in deciding what we really needed. We now have a new washer, dryer and refrigerator, all compliments of Lowes. What an amazing holiday gift! These were all things that we had been hoping for and needed to buy, but knew we could not afford at this time. This was an amazingly generous donation and we are blown away.
The Presque Isle Rotary Club has also made a generous donation to us as of late. Not sure if you saw me on TV, but they are donating monies to help us repair our dog kennels. Our kennel doors are in horrible shape, held together with zip ties, wire and overlapped chain link. They are a mess. So with help from the Presque Isle Rotary Club, we will soon be able to purchase new, safe, secure doors for our kennels. It will be a welcome sight and a relief to our employees who have repaired just about as much as they are able. This project is one we have been trying to do for a long time, but the money has just not been there. What a relief! This is going to be awesome!
Santa Paws came to the Central Aroostook Humane Society last weekend and visited with the kids and animals, but he will be back again on the 12th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., so if you missed it last weekend, stop by and visit this coming weekend. It is a wonderful way to support the humane society in their efforts to save lives. At Pictures with Santa Paws, 100 percent of the proceeds go to help the animals. Everyone has been so generous, especially during Christmas, but remember that every donation counts no matter how small and is greatly appreciated.
Now that the weather is getting colder, we also need to be aware of animals left out in the cold. I can’t tell you how many nights when the temperatures drop below zero, that I lay in my nice warm bed surrounded by my animals and wonder how many animals are left outside, shivering and cold, tied to an empty doghouse. Their suffering is more than I can stand. The shelter gives them a safe haven, but your help is needed. If you see an animal you feel does not have proper food, shelter or water, report it to your local police department or animal control officer. The shelter has no authority to police such matters, and we cannot report incidents that we do not witness. It is up to you to be the eyes and ears for the animals.
We, at the Central Aroostook Humane Society, are humbled and grateful for all the support we receive. We deal daily with “bad stuff” … people walking through the door with animals in horrible shape, people lying to us, trying to cheat us, the suffering; it wears on all of us emotionally. But when good things happen, we are re-energized! Our faith in humanity is reborn. We have to take every happy ending story; every animal who gets a wonderful home, every donation, every thoughtful gesture and hold it close to our hearts, it reminds us of why we do what we do and keeps us strong to continue our work. If you have ever thought about becoming a board member or volunteer for the Central Aroostook Humane Society, we would love to meet you. Please e-mail the shelter for a board application. If you would like to volunteer, visit the shelter and speak to our friendly staff.
Looking for a friend for life? Stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society and visit the wonderful animals available for adoption. We are open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or give us a call at 764-3441. You can also visit us on line at www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
CHRISTMAS CARD POSE — Carolyn and Joe Cheney, of Presque Isle, along with their 1-year-old Boxer, Henry, joined ‘Santa Paws’ for a photo on Dec. 5 at the Central Aroostook Humane Society in Presque Isle. Carolyn is a member of the shelter’s board of directors and was on hand Saturday to assist with the annual fund-raiser. Anyone who missed the opportunity will have a second chance when Santa Paws returns to the shelter for another photo session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12.
