Independent Record editorial:
Humane Society needs good home
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The drive to raise money and find a place for a new home for the Lewis and Clark Humane Society has moved forward in fits and starts over the past several years, which isn’t surprising for an organization that’s never taken on a project of this magnitude.
The biggest hiccup came last fall, when the society went so far as to hold a groundbreaking on a piece of city-owned land off of Frontage Road, before learning that an easement issue with a neighboring landowner would prevent the connection of city utilities.
Unbowed, shelter officials are back to looking for a site for a new building. We hope they can find a few acres, whether it’s city land, county land — or even a swap with a private party arranged by one of the localities that could involve the Frontage Road piece that fell through previously.
The 2,000 animals taken in each year by the shelter are half the number seen when the building first opened in 1972. But that doesn’t change the fact that the current building on Custer Avenue is at capacity — and besides that, it’s just worn out. Cracks are developing, and the oft-renovated space can’t be renovated any more.
The shelter has studied innovative approaches to caring for its dogs. Once the most basic aspects of life — food, water and shelter, pretty much the same as ours — are taken care of, the shelter’s employees and legion of volunteers look at ways to improve the mental well-being of their residents. Being cooped up all day in a kennel full of noisy dogs takes the animals out of their routines, and can lead to anxiety issues, poor eating habits and other issues that are not only bad for the dogs’ well-being, but can decrease their chances of being adopted.
Simply by implementing a program of taking each dog out for three potty breaks a day, employees have noticed a calmer atmosphere in the kennels — less pacing, less barking, less stress overall. That’s good for the dogs while they’re in the shelter, and it also makes them more attractive to people who show up looking for a new companion.
To that end, officials envision a 5-acre parcel for the new shelter, where traditionally 3 acres would be plenty to accommodate the number of animals anticipated over the next few decades. Extra space will give the dogs more chances to be outside, which will improve their health and well-being.
In a meeting this week with the IR’s editorial board, shelter director Gina Wiest said there’s hardly a business in town that hasn’t contributed in some form to the shelter over the years. That’s commendable, and speaks to Helena’s love of animals as well as the community’s generosity in general.
We hope that spirit continues and that the Humane Society is able to find a new piece of property to call home. A new building is still several years away, and it’s becoming clear that the current shelter is going to the dogs.
Read more: http://helenair.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_3eb6bb3e-a2dc-11e0-8add-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1QsJlLS9k