As you enter the building, sounds of cats and dogs drift into your ears. You smile as the animals greet you as you walk by the kennels. They are happy to see people again after 5 weeks of being on lockdown mode just because a deadly virus called parvovirus took the lives of four dogs and infected even more. After all of the dogs were free from parvovirus they had to intensely clean the shelter to make sure the deadly virus would not return to take more lives.

During the outbreak the Humane Society of Freeborn County greatly relied on volunteers to help with laundry from cleaning and disinfecting the kennels so no more dogs would get sick. The Humane Society is greatly run on donations, and during the outbreak of parvo they really needed help with medical costs for the dogs. In addition, so many things had to be thrown out because it could’ve been contaminated with the disease. Their supplies were greatly depleted.

The shelter doesn’t just need donations when outbreaks happen, but they are needed all of the time. They will always accept donations of every kind. Whether it be money, physical objects or even sponsoring an animal so then a family only needs an approved application to adopt them, no money needed. They also have a list up at their website (www.hsffc.org/) that lists the specifics of what’s almost always needed.

I also feel that to help out the Humane Society, groups in the city or the city itself should host fundraisers for the shelter as it gets warmer. Volunteers could have a car wash in which the money goes to the shelter. The Albert Lea Bayside Skiers could have a show in the summer and could sell hotdogs and hamburgers and donate some of the proceeds to the shelter. Even the Tribune could donate some of the money it gets from selling its papers to the shelter. We as a community could do so many things to help the shelter out. The animals there are the sweetest animals ever and they deserve a ton of support. Help out your local shelter or adopt a local shelter animal. You aren’t just giving them help or a home. You are giving them love and they will show that love right back to you.

 

Madison Willey

Albert Lea