HUMANE SOCIETY FUND RAISER TONIGHT

Reuniting families with lost pets, investigating animal cruelty and neglect, adopting animals into loving homes, and providing food, care and shelter to injured and abandoned animals are all a part of services provided by the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

The Humane Society, which has been celebrating National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week this week, will host its 18th annual auction at 5 tonight at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Jackson. Proceeds will benefit the 5,200 animals the shelter serves each year.

Cynthia Kothe, program coordinator for the Humane Society, said National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week allows citizens to take a closer look at the role the animal shelter plays in enhancing the quality of life in the community.

"Our pets are part of our families, and they add so much to our lives," Kothe said. "The Humane Society will continue to serve the community so that together we can provide the best care for our four-footed companions."

She said the Humane Society provides a much-needed safety net for companion animals and the public, and services not available anywhere else in the community or in the area. The shelter services a large area, taking in animals from 17 counties in Southeast Missouri.

In 1998 alone, the Humane Society already has adopted 333 dogs, 499 puppies, 52 cats and 118 kittens to homes, nearly equaling last year's total of 1,068 adoptions. They have also returned lost pets to their owners and provided over 35,000 hours of animal-assisted therapy to older adults in nursing homes and hospitals.

Last year 5,141 animals were taken into the shelter. Although most of the animals were dogs and cats, the number also included rabbits, chickens, baby ducks, birds, snakes and even an iguana.

Just because people take their animals to the Humane Society in hopes that the animals will be adopted, there is no guarantee that a home will be found.

Although more than 1,000 animals were adopted last year, an additional 3,823 animals brought into the shelter -- nearly 75 percent of the total -- had to be euthanized. Sometimes the number of animals brought to the shelter was so great that the Humane Society had no choice but to euthanize daily.

In June 1997, for example, a record number of 697 homeless animals were left at the shelter.

In July, the number was 564. Of that number, 29 pets were returned to their owners and 82 were adopted. The remaining 453 were euthanized.

In addition to dealing with problems of pet overpopulation, the shelter also works to combat animal abuse and neglect not only by assisting animal control in investigating every abuse and neglect report that comes to them but by teaching humane education lessons to school children. Thus far in 1998, 2,000 school children have received lessons on the humane treatment of animals.

Assisting in the work of the shelter this year have been 67 junior volunteers and 48 adult volunteers.

Tonight's auction, which is the major fund raiser of the year for the shelter, will include a sit-down dinner catered by Sodexho. Tickets are available at Schnucks, local veterinarians and pet groomers for $12.50. They will also be available at the door for $15. The meal will be served between 5:30 and 7.

The silent auction features various items including sports collectibles, items signed by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, jewelry, Beanie Babies, antiques and a Jake Wells original.

Kothe said all of the funds raised tonight will be used directly for the care of the animals.