Mending their wounds, treating their illnesses, feeding their hunger, quelling their fears and, above all, righting the wrongs done to them by our fellow men are the words that summarize the mission of the Florence Area Humane Society.
A second annual Humane Society fundraiser will be organized in the form of a yard sale so that all the proceedings go toward helping the sheltered animals. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 6 at S&W Manufacturing on the corner of Hoffmeyer and Jody Road. The Humane Society is encouraging and willingly accepting donations during the yard sale.
Animal Controller Officer Traci Gowdy from the Department of Community Services expressed that the shelter is constantly filled with animals that have been lost or ill-treated for several reasons. The yard sale would therefore greatly help both the emotional and the physical rescue of these animals.
“The shelter is always in need of medication,” Gowdy said. “All the animals here need to be vaccinated to prevent them from disease of any kind. With the money we receive from the yard sale, we will be able to buy dishes for the animals, brooms and food to keep them healthy. Usually, all the funds that come in are utilized someway and somehow to help the animals here that are facing difficulty.”
Gowdy also said that when she first began working as an animal controller, she was touched by every animal she rescued. In fact, she felt the desire to adopt them all and keep them. But, as time passed and experience was a good teacher, she understood that it was not easily possible.
“I wanted to pick up every single lost and abused animal that I saw,” Gowdy said. “Not so long ago, I’ve even taken care of cats, squirrels, dogs and baby possums until they could find a home. Eventually, I realized that I couldn’t take every animal home.”
In addition to the yard sale, the present shelter will be demolished and will be replaced by a veteran’s park. A new shelter is being constructed and will be opening by January 2011.
“If the weather is good and they stay on task, the new building will be completed by January,” Gowdy said. “All the animals will be transported to their new shelter and they will be able to live in more comfort. It’s nice for them because they are sometimes emotionally hurt. This new and bigger home for them will at least make them feel better.”
In addition to supporting sheltered animals, the Humane Society urges people to actively participate in adopting these animals that are in need of a home. Presently, they are giving away cats for no charge, and are asking people to step forward and begin adopting.
“It hurts the heart when you see that people don’t want to adopt animals because they are from the shelter,” Gowdy expressed. “The longer they are here, the more depressed and stressed they will get. They need to be taken and shown some care.”