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Donations crucial to OTC Humane Society [UPDATED]
Published 10:07am Thursday, January 24, 2013 Updated 12:09pm Thursday, January 24, 2013The Humane Society of Otter Tail County would like to sincerely thank everyone who has donated to, volunteered at, adopted pets from, etc our Fergus Falls facility.
The ongoing mission of this shelter to return lost pets to their owners, find new loving homes for abandoned ones, and medically caring for injured or ill animals, would not be possible without the kindness and contributions of a large number of generous people.
The scale of activity at this humble, local shelter and its need for financial support may surprise anyone unfamiliar with it. For example, during the past year nearly 600 dogs and 600 cats as well as a mix of rabbits, rats, and other pets were brought to the shelter. One older dog, showing signs of a long journey, actually walked to the shelter on his own.
As an example of the success of this organization, of the dogs that were brought in, approximately 33 percent were reunited with their owners, 44 percent were adopted into new, approved homes, and another 21 percent were transferred to other areas of the state to be adopted through a rescue network. Less than 2 percent were unsuccessful at getting homes, and the most likely cause was serious illness, or repeated vicious behavior.
The old dog that journeyed to the shelter on his own was reunited with his original family after spending over two months at the shelter, as he had come from another county and had been searched for outside of this area.
The joyful reunion of this family with their long lost dog was overwhelming, and would never have happened without this facility. Hundreds of cats were either reunited with their owners or found new homes as well.
The needs at the Fergus shelter are on a correspondingly large scale. The funds gained from animal adoptions, fees, and so on cover only a small portion of the expenses. There is a very committed group of volunteers working to minimize staff requirements.
However, there is an increasing need for funding to keep up with growing expenses and animal numbers. The recession has been unkind to pets as well as people.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, whether you can give some of your time as a committed volunteer, donate needed supplies for the animals, or provide a monetary donation.
Please consider the Fergus Falls Humane Society when choosing a financial memorial, or when doing estate planning. These types of donations have been crucial in keeping this shelter running for years. All donations will go toward the basic needs of this non-profit Humane Society and thereby the animals that pass through it. The facility is humble, the staff works from a passion, as wages are low, and extravagance is non existent.
Please come out and visit us and our animals if you would like at 1933 West Fir Avenue in Fergus Falls, visit our web page at www.humanesocietyotc.org or check us out on Facebook.
Humane Society
Board of Directors
