Local Humane Society getting serious about budget requests

Since the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri was founded in 1976, it hasn�t been very business-minded, shelter director Tracy Poston said by phone Tuesday.

And, she said, it�s time to change that.

�The Humane Society has been partnered with these cities (Cape Girardeau and Jackson) for over 40 years. The building (at 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau) has been there a really long time,� Poston said in the interview.

Cory Sparkman, back, and Austin Poston fill bowls with dog food during feeding time Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

The Humane Society has begun asking for more money from the public entities it serves. And the organization is not being shy about its request.

Contracts were started years ago, and the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri agreed to take in animals from certain jurisdictions in exchange for a certain amount of money each year.

�I always say the Humane Society kind of operated on a wing and a prayer,� Poston said Tuesday.

But as the organization has grown, she said, �we�ve decided, especially more recently, that we are a business, even though our hearts are full of love for animals.�

Austin Poston feeds puppies Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

In the last couple of years or so especially, Poston said, she and board members have researched how other, comparable facilities operate, and they�ve identified key areas needing improvement in HSSEMO�s own operations.

Poston said she and the other staff and board members doing the research wanted to look at other shelters, not just in the Midwest in cities of comparable size and comparable animal intake, but on each coast.

�If you live in Missouri, you know everything happens on the coasts and works its way into the center,� Poston said Tuesday, adding, �We wanted to look into the future, where the industry is heading, what kind of facility we�re going to need, not just 10 but 50 years from now."�

To that end, Poston; Charlotte Craig, Humane Society of Southeast Missouri Board of Directors president; and board secretary Karen Honaas spoke to the Jackson Board of Aldermen and separately to the Cape Girardeau County Commission on Monday, requesting an increase in each entity�s contribution to the shelter.

A cat is seen Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

The Cape Girardeau City Council was not addressed, since the fiscal year runs differently, Poston said Tuesday.

Previously, Poston said at the meetings, jurisdictions contributed a �fair share� � approximately 50 percent of the cost of care for the average number of animals brought in from that jurisdiction.

Jackson�s intake was about 13 percent, or about 373 animals, last year, and the money paid in was about $26,000, she said.

The request for 2019 is $42,250; for 2020, $58,500; and for 2021, $74,750, Poston said.

Kittens are seen Tuesday the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

This way, the increase is gradual, she said.

From the county, with an average intake of nearly 600 animals per year, the proposed budget request for 2019 will be slightly more than $60,000.

The 2019 proposed budget is $575,000, Poston said, and a significant portion of that goes toward veterinary care, and operation of a crematorium, per USDA guidelines.

The animals brought in include those from law enforcements and citizens, Poston said at each meeting.

A dog peers through its cage Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

�Money is always a worry, every day and every decision,� Poston told Jackson�s aldermen. �City contracts are a small portion of the budget.�

And fundraising efforts will continue, but, Poston said, the organization is working toward being more business-minded.

But it�s tough, she acknowledged. The shelter is full, housing some animals in temporary kennels.

Poston said Tuesday that HSSEMO has worked hard for the past several years to decrease the number of euthanized animals.

The kennel space is seen Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

At the Jackson aldermen meeting Monday night, Honaas said the shelter has considerable operating costs.

Once an animal arrives at the shelter, a licensed facility, basic care mandated by the United States Department of Agriculture must be performed.

Also, she said, �Like a hospital, we have to be open and staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year,� Honaas said � whether 10 animals or 70 are in the shelter, operation costs are there.

And, Honaas added, �We are a community resource center,� taking questions on care for pets, or directing pet owners to available resources.

Auston Poston closes a kennel during feeding time Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

The staff has to be educated on proper care of animals and their surroundings, she said.

And the shelter�s campaign to help people spay and neuter their pets is ongoing, Honaas said.

In 2017, the shelter gave out more than 300 vouchers for a free spay or neuter � more than $52,000 worth, and that funding came from grants and private donations, Honaas said.

HSSEMO brought in about 3,000 animals last year, Poston said.

In 2006, Craig told the county commission, the shelter euthanized 4,000 animals.

�I don�t think the public wants that,� Craig told the commissioners.

Austin Poston, left, and Cory Sparkman feed the dogs Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

The shelter is officially a no-kill facility for dogs, as the live release rate (adoption or re-homing) is above 90 percent, as required to be considered no-kill, Craig said.

Cats are adopted or placed at a rate of more than 50 percent � still not great, Craig said, but improving.

Poston said the organization�s goal is to not put healthy, adoptable pets to sleep.

�But that�s not an answer,� she said, adding a lot more than just not euthanizing animals goes into meeting that goal.

Cory Sparkman fills bowls with dog food during feeding time Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

�This means a lot to everybody in the organization,� Poston said. �We have to start being more fiscally responsible in asking for more of what we need, and frankly, what we deserve.�

Poston said for a 24-hour facility that takes in thousands of animals each year, what the organization is asking is not unreasonable.

�There�s a lot that goes into it. It�s not an easy job and employees don�t get paid a lot. We want people to know what a valuable service we provide, and be able to grow,� Poston told the Jackson aldermen.

Cory Sparkman dumps a scoop of dog food into a bowl during feeding time Tuesday at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs asked to see a proposed budget, and asked to speak again with HSSEMO representatives at the next regular board of aldermen meeting Nov. 17.

Humane Society development director Jennifer Sokolowski said the shelter has a promotion for December called �Give Them a Wonderful Life!�, giving a discount off adoptions this month.

More information is on the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri�s Facebook page.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630