ANDERSON, Ind. —
For Amy Swinford, staying in a concrete dog kennel with barred doors for 24 hours will certainly be challenging.
But the Madison County Humane Society board member said the overnight stay was a tiny sacrifice in light of the situation that dogs and cats are facing.
“I don’t think the Anderson community is aware of the enormity of the homeless animal situation,” she said. “I don’t think they are aware of how many animals are brought in each year to the Humane Society and to our local shelter that don’t have homes. There is an overabundance of pets. I hope this event educates the public on how serious the issue is.”
Swinford and the other 11 board members will be experiencing “A Day in Their Paws” in honor of the hundreds of homeless cats and dogs in Madison County. The event begins Saturday at the shelter, 2219 Crystal St.
Each will stay in an individual dog kennel or in the free-roaming room for cats. They’ll be with the animals that normally stay there, Humane Society Director Susie Schieve said.
The goal is for each to raise $1 per minute for a total of $1,440 in addition to corporate sponsors, with a total goal of $20,000. They will be “locked in” from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.
“The dedication of our board to do something like this is amazing,” Schieve said. “They are going in and sacrificing 24 hours of their time to do this for the animals and bring awareness and money into the shelter which is totally funded by donations.”
She pointed out that the Humane Society handles more than 100 animals at a time and adopts anywhere from 350 to 600 animals a year. The no-kill shelter takes overflow from the city of Anderson’s shelter and also accepts animals from the county. The Humane Society also takes animals from the city shelter, known as the Animal Protection League, with a goal of preventing as many euthanizations as possible, Schieve said.
Another goal of the organization is to return lost animals to their owners and find “forever homes” for those in the shelter.
Swinford said this time of year donations for the shelter are typically down, so the board wanted to try to do something new to bring in donors.
“We are all really excited and in it for the same cause — helping place homeless animals and rasing funds for the Humane Society,” she said.
The community is invited between noon and 5 p.m. to come out to the shelter to visit the participants, make a donation and meet the animals that are available for adoption.
Contact Abbey Doyle: 640-4805, abbey.doyle@heraldbulletin.com
Community
Related Photos
-
Susie Schieve pets Onyx and Faith in one of the cat rooms at the Madison County Humane Society. Board members will be staying in kennels at the shelter for 24 hours to raise money and awareness for the Humane Society. Don Knight
Discussion
'A day in their paws'
Special event to raise funds, awareness for Humane Society
- Community
-
-
A dream cabin in the woods
Phil Hatter regularly told his children that once they were all grown, he would build a log cabin in the country. They didn’t believe him. “I think log homes are really neat, but they have to be put in the right place,” he said.
-
Jim Bailey: Jim Carter made football a respectable sport at AHS
When I first came to Anderson in 1951, Jim Carter had been named head football coach at Anderson High School. At that time, football at AHS was little more than an activity to get out of the way to make room for basketball season. The Indians were known to play two games in the same week to shorten the season.
-
Community Briefs: May 27
A compilation of community news as published in the Sunday edition of The Herald Bulletin.
-
Remember When: May 27
The slide was one of the more popular attractions at the Falls Park swimming area in Pendleton as evidenced by the number of people waiting their turn on the slide’s steps and its top platform.
-
Champions League makes everyone a winner
The Champions League — in its 12th season — is sponsored by the Pendleton Junior Baseball Association and is open to anyone 5 to 18 with physical and developmental disabilities.
-
History: Lapel Telephone Co. was talk of town
In November 1962, when the Lapel Telephone Co. was sold to United Utilities by the children of founder Earl Tull, a Madison County era ended.
-
Back in the News: May 27
The Herald Bulletin looks back at stories from the Anderson Daily Bulletin and The Anderson Herald newspapers.
-
Howard Hewitt: 'Pink' wines growing in popularity
Those silly looking pink wines in your favorite wine shop or liquor store are gaining respect through robust sales.
-
Nancy Vaughan: Tomorrow starts today
The United Way of Madison County's 2011 annual report seeks to recognize the individuals and organizations that contribute their resources to support investments and activities to increase the education, income and health of all who call Madison County home.
-
Births: May 27
Local birth listings are published each Sunday in The Herald Bulletin. Birth announcements with a photo are available for a fee. Call The Herald Bulletin at 640-4800 for more information.
- More Community Headlines
-
