Humane Society weathers storm to win honor

Suffolk

After the tornado swept through Suffolk last week, the Suffolk Humane Society got a bit of a good news to brighten the day. The barely year-old shelter was chosen as the "Shelter of the Week" by the SPCA International.

"Each week, the SPCA International chooses an animal welfare organization that it feels is not only doing a great job but also needs a little extra financial assistance," explained Kay Hurley, director of the local shelter.

The honor came with a $1,000 check.

"SPCA International shows its support at the local level by awarding cash grants to needy shelters every week," Hurley said. "This money helps the shelters improve their physical conditions, enhance their spay and neuter programs, and ultimately reduce euthanasia rates."

" It will help to increase awareness of the plight of homeless animals here in Suffolk as well as around the world," said Angela Chandler, Suffolk Humane Society executive director.

There were many reasons why the SPCA International chose the Suffolk shelter as its Shelter of the Week. Those reasons include:

- Being the only humane society in the largest city by land mass in the state.

- Being a nonprofit organization funded entirely by private donations and managed solely by volunteers with no paid staff.

- Growing to more than 200 members and volunteers after being founded in 2007.

- Creating outreach programs to encourage a high- level profile to better adopt out their pets.

- Establishing a working relationship with the Suffolk Animal Control Department by volunteering to help with homeless animals to stop the euthanasia of adoptable pets.

- In the first year of operation, they spayed or neutered more than 900 dogs and cats and have greatly increased adoption of animals at Suffolk Animal Control, including rabbits, ferrets and a snake.

- Together the two organizations focus on spay and neuter programs and activities that support adoption and humane education with an emphasis on responsible pet parenting.

- The shelter joined forces with the Virginia Beach SPCA Neuter Scooter for local access to low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, heartworm testing, FeLV/FIV testing, vaccinations, microchipping and registration and heartworm and flea preventions. The Neuter Scooter also handles feral cats who test negative for FeLV/FIV.

- Partnered with Suffolk Meals on Wheels to get pet food donated to Meals on Wheels recipients who need help caring for their pets. More than 850 pounds of pet food was delivered to residents in need so they may keep their pets.

- Offered pet behavior counseling and techniques to help families keep a pet they might surrender to the animal shelter. They also help the public safely trap feral cats, get them neutered or spayed and then returned to their environment.

- Promote humane and responsible treatment of animals with outreach programs at events throughout the city.

- Work with the Chesapeake Square PetSmart stores to provide adoptable cats and to also provide Pets of the Week photos and information to local newspapers.

Space crisis

The Suffolk Humane Society could only celebrate its being named the "Shelter of the Week" for a moment before more pressing needs brought them back to reality.

The April 28 tornado blew apart Harmony House in Driver, one of the locations of its Neuter Scooter, the mobile surgical unit that comes to Suffolk three days a month: twice in downtown Suffolk and once in northern Suffolk.

Both locations were lost recently - one to the tornado and the other after the storefront was finally leased.

The loss of Harmony House was a double blow, since it provided a foster program for the Suffolk Humane Society. The society will take donations for the Driver Furry Friends to rebuild the foster program.

For Spay Days, Suffolk Humane needs a location that:

- Allows parking for the Neuter Scooter,

- Parking spaces for people to drop off/pick up their animals,

- Electrical service, heat and air conditioning, and bathroom facilities. Some animals can be kept in recovery on the buses, while some sleep off surgery in crates in the facility.

Without locations to host the Neuter Scooter, Suffolk Humane will be unable to fulfill a central part of their mission.

To offer assistance for a location for the Neuter Scooter, please call 757-319-0080 or to donate, visit www.suffolkhumanesociety.com, call 757-374-1476 or mail checks to P.O. Box 5038, Suffolk, Va. 23435. The shelter is at 124 Forest Glen Drive in Suffolk. Call 514-7855.