Humane Society shelter celebrates 1st anniversary
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| About 300 people attended the 1st anniversary festivities at the Humane Society Shelter. |
On Saturday, August 28, the Gloucester Mathews Humane Society (which, despite its name, serves the three counties of Middlesex, Gloucester and Mathews) celebrated the first anniversary of its new shelter.
About 300 people from all three counties came to the party, which featured games, exhibitions, demonstrations, and the opportunity to visit with a pet psychic. In addition, the event included the formal dedication of the lobby of the intake section of the shelter to the memory of Dr. Cindy Rhodes, an outstanding veterinarian, beloved supporter of the shelter and devoted animal lover.
The dedication ceremony, which was held on the lawn outside the entrance to the intake area, was presided over by Dieter Hoinkes, president of the Humane Society. Hoinkes introduced the many members of Dr. Rhodes’ family who had come for the dedication from all across the Commonwealth.
Henry Spalding, a close family friend, outlined Dr. Rhodes’ many accomplishments in addition to her work with animals. His moving tribute was followed by the formal dedication of the lobby area.
Ellen Thacker, executive director of the shelter, presented an overview of the activities of the first year in the new facility, during which 217 more animals found permanent homes than in the previous year. This amounts to an increase in adoptions of just about 30%.
Thacker described one of the major achievements of the past year, the hound and hunting dog rescue and rehabilitation project. She announced that a major project for the coming year is dealing with the enormous problem of feral cats, which presently amount to approximately one cat per every six people in the three counties the Humane Society serves.
Thacker expressed her appreciation for the work of the more than 200 volunteers, including some 80 youth volunteers, who assist the permanent staff in cleaning cages, walking dogs, and grooming animals. Volunteers also cover the front desk and manage the gift shop.
The new shelter, which is on Jackson Lane between Colonial Virginia Bank and Sutton’s Restaurant off Business 17 in Gloucester, is a 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building on over 30 acres of land. With few exceptions, the entire cost of the $3.2 million building was paid for entirely by individual contributions.
Cam Williams, co-chair of the Capital Campaign Committee, introduced Ralph Jackson who, as chairman of the Building Committee, oversaw every aspect of the design and construction of the new shelter, and for whom the road leading to the building is named. Williams announced that if all outstanding pledges are paid in full, about $170,000 is all that remains to pay off the mortgage. She said that the effort to achieve this goal by the end of the year had just received a real boost in the form of a pledge of a challenge grant of $50,000 from a group of five donors. She expressed the hope that everyone would do whatever he or she could to ensure that the $50,000 will be matched. She said that if this proved possible, and if the 5 acres on Rangtang Road on which the old shelter was situated could be sold, the goal of retiring the mortgage might indeed be achieved.
The shelter is open every day except Sunday. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on Wednesday when the shelter remains open until 6 p.m. It is a happy place to visit and to tour the Cat Mall and watch the cats romp in their playrooms. Puppies have their own Puppy Palace. Visitors can tour the entire facility and the indoor and outdoor kennels, which house the grown-up dogs.
At the present time, the shelter houses, on site, more than 65 dogs and puppies and more than 200 cats and kittens, as well as two rabbits and several gerbils. In addition, 76 dogs and 109 cats are being kept off site in foster homes. The cost of adopting a dog is $125, and all dogs are spayed or neutered prior to adoption. They also have all their shots and are micro-chipped. The cost of adopting a cat that has not been fixed is $50, half of which is rebated when the animal has been spayed or neutered, and $35 for a cat that has been spayed or neutered. Within the next year it is hoped that all cats will be spayed or neutered prior to adoption.
Pictures of animals that are available for adoption can be viewed on the Humane Society’s website. The adoption application form is also available on the website. Anyone interested in adopting an animal is encouraged to download the application form and fax the completed form to the shelter at 804-694-5136.
