The Oktibbeha County Humane Society experiences a fluctuation of unwanted animals throughout the year. Thanks to help from the Mississippi State University Vet School, they are not overcrowded, but they still need help. OCHS in a non-profit organization supported by help from the United Way and generous donations.
The “Roadside Table,” led by Christy Byczeki, collect aluminum cans to raise money for the Animal Shelter Building Fund.
On Nov. 7, the Chi Omega sorority socialized with the animals and donated much needed blankets and towels to keep the animals warm during the cold winter months.
The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection donated cleaning supplies, blankets, collars and gifts to the shelter.
Alpha Psi fraternity spent time painting and landscaping the shelter.
Delisa Simmons, volunteer coordinator at OCHS, said the shelter reaches crisis situations because of the lack of space for the animals, and they have to mix animals together, which can increase the occurence of disease. This problem could be rectified with the new shelter, isolation and quarantine before an animal is released into an open population.
Simmons said she believes the problem starts when people do not have their pets spayed or neutered, which can result in unwanted puppies or kittens.
“The lack of education is the main problem,” Simmons said.
Animals are given to the shelter for a variety of reasons: college students take pets that they are unable to look after or move away and can’t take animals with them; people maybe become ill and unable to care for their pets and people give away litters of unwanted puppies or kittens and abandon unwanted animals.
“Normally, the shelter has more dogs than cats, but that fluctuates. We’re growing towards more cats,” Simmons said about the present population.
Simmons stated that Mississippi State University tremendously benefits the shelter, especially the vet school students’ adopting many of the animals and aiding fellow adopters by reducing the cost of spaying or neutering animals.
“The shelter is funded by the city and donations. The county does not subsidize the shelter, and MSU does not pay us for taking animals off campus,” Simmons said.
Animal control can only pick up strays within the city of Starkville, not the county or campus, which do not have any animal control facilities.
Donations to the shelter will receive a receipt and can be a tax write-off.
Donations can be made in a cash or items for the shelter. For a list of items, see the wish list on the shelter’s Web site. Donations will mostly go toward the new, larger and improved shelter being built on Industrial Park Road.
The shelter has two full-time salary workers, part-time workers and many volunteers. Families and schools are welcome to come play with the animals-the interaction with people benefits the animals greatly.
In order to adopt an animal, people must provide a personal reference, permission from landlord (if applicable), the number of people in the house and how the animal will be contained (such as a fenced-in yard for dogs). Adopters must also agree to spay or neuter the animal to help control the pet population.
The shelter asks potential adopters questions about animal healthcare and, most importantly, how long they think it takes the animal to adjust to a new home. Simmons said that different animals need different adjustment periods.
Oktibbeha county residents, 18 years and older, with a financial need that prevented them from spaying or neutering their pets, can qualify for Pet PALS 50/50 cost share program.
Simmons said that unfortunately over 50 percent of the animals are euthanized due to lack of space.
For more information, visit the shelter’s Web site at www.msstate.edu/org/humane.