Shelter Animals by the Numbers

6500 of anything is a lot.  Imagine 6500 bikes, 6500 shoes, 6500 televisions or 6500 gallons of ice cream.  Now, think about how you would manage each of these items if you had to care for them and keep them safe.  Where would you store them?  How would you keep the bikes from rusting, the shoes from stinking, the televisions from breaking or the ice cream from melting?

Ok, got your mind wrapped around that challenge?  Think about how to manage 6500 dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, rabbits and other miscellaneous animals.  How hard would that be?

Unlike the bikes, shoes, televisions and ice cream, the animals are high maintenance.  They need food, water, health care, exercise and attention.  Not to mention their cages need cleaning at least once a day if not more often.

Why did I choose 6500?  6500 is the number of animals projected to come through the Lee County Humane Society shelter in 2009.  Because the Lee County Humane Society manages the only open admission animal care facility in Lee County, we see a lot of animals. 

Here is a glimpse of some of the many tasks that are accomplished each day at the shelter:

• Check all the animals to make sure they are in good condition
• Clean the waste from the dog kennels, clean and dry the kennels
• Clean cat kennels
• Scrub floors
• Clean windows
• Exercise dogs
• Play with the cats
• Preventative vaccinations
• Answer the phone
• Interact with and help potential adopters
• Check in relinquished animals
• Shuffle animals around to find space
• Coordinate with Animal Control from Lee County, Opelika and Auburn
• Clean more kennels
• Feed all the animals
• Keep the yard looking good
• Coordinate volunteers

 

There is so much more that I don’t have space to list.  Caring for the animals is certainly the priority, but in a close second place is working with the public and the many visitors who enter the shelter.   

Ask anyone what they would rather care for; 6500 bikes, 6500 shoes, 6500 televisions, 6500 gallons of ice cream or 6500 animals.  While it is kind of a silly question, my guess is very few would choose the 6500 animals.  But, there is a very dedicated group of people who made the intentional decision to care for the 6500 animals. 

Lee County Humane Society Executive Director Heather Meadows and the staff of about 15 employees do a great job each and every day.  And let’s not forget about the wonderful volunteers who assist the staff.

Here is my challenge to you... the next time you drive by the shelter, you hear or read something about the Lee County Humane Society or you simply see an animal running at large, think about the number 6500.  Then, think about what you can do to make sure there is one less animal being born so the number 6500 goes down instead of going up.

Jack Fisher

Board of Directors

Comments

[Web developer]

Cool,

Keep up the good work,

Thanks for bringing this up