PET PALS: HUMANE SOCIETY PROGRAM FEATURES VISITS BY ANIMALS

Laura Hurst, left, and her dog Sadie, a bassett hound, were tested for the Pet Pal program by Karla Carr at Capaha Park.

Debbie Litzelselner gave her dog Sunny a hug after it qualified. Sunny will soon visit the Cape Girardeau Nursing Center.

William Davis enjoyed Sam's antics and Annie's warm brown eyes.

"One thing I always liked was a dog," said Davis, after the golden retriever and standard poodle, along with their handlers, moved on to visit other residents of the Missouri Veterans' Home. "It didn't make any difference what kind, just a dog," Davis added.

Across the room, former kennel owner Perry Schultz chuckled as the deep-red-coated retriever jumped to catch a ball in her mouth. He told Yvonne Romann, who was directing Sam's actions, that he once owned a golden retriever.

Sam and Annie are among more than a half a dozen dogs, and so far one cat, which are part of a new outreach from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. Called Pet Pals, the program makes available for visits carefully trained and skilled pets, handled by their owners. Pet Pals pets have also undergone recent veterinarian checks.

With the shelter logging many requests for animal visits, the idea to put together a structured, volunteer staffed, pet visitation program was forged several months ago, explained Jhan White, humane society administrator.

"We want to be able to show people that animals are not only good pets but can be active and beneficial members of the community," she said.

Under the direction of Carla Karr, a volunteer at the humane society, several other volunteers, many of them members of the Humane Society, have been working for months, preparing their animals and themselves for visits that may include challenging encounters. Karr has taught dog obedience classes and attended an animal evaluators' course in preparation for her work in the Pet Pals program.

Just over a week ago, several of the would-be Pet Pals underwent a AKC Canine Good Citizen Skills Test at Capaha Park conducted by Karr. For several pet owners, it was a summation of weeks of work.

After the testing, Karr said, "We have seven animals that are ready to go out and visit, and probably another three or four that need a little more training, a little more work." Several other pet owners have already voiced interest in getting involved in the volunteer program.

Karr of Cape Girardeau has been taking one of her dogs, Annie, on Pet Pal visits since early April. The Missouri Veterans' Home has been one of their weekly stops.

Pet Pals is a complement to efforts at the veterans' home to bring about a more home-like and interactive environment, explained Pam Klaus, director of therapeutic recreation at the home.

She has seen residents, even those in the special care unit, respond favorably to the animal visits. Oftentimes, for the residents, spending time with the animals "brings back a lot of memories, and they're usually very good memories," Klaus said.

Whether or not the individual interacts with the pet is strictly up to the resident, Karr pointed out. "Some will say 'yes,' some will say 'no,' it's their choice."

After spending some time with Annie and Sam last week, Glenn Kaiser who resides at the veterans' home, reminisced about his most recent dog, a small mixed breed named Brownie who loved to hunt rabbits. Dogs of unknown origins, he reflected, "can make some awfully good dogs."

That's one of the messages of White and others involved with the humane society.

In 1995, 4,515 animals came into the shelter on Route W. That number was about average, White noted. Typically, about 25 percent of the animals are adopted, while another 5 percent are returned to their owners. "The sad fact is that animals that cannot be placed have to be put to sleep," White pointed out.

Persons looking for pure-bred animals shouldn't count out the shelter. On average, only about 25 to 30 percent of the animals at the shelter are pure-bred, White noted.

"We encourage people to come out, check with us periodically, leave your name on our wish list," White said. Plus, animals other than dogs and cats are often available for adoption.

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is a private, non-profit organization. Persons can join for an annual membership fee of $15 for individuals and $25 for families.

The Pet Pals program is a good, positive way for the shelter to be of service in the community, said Brian Yarbrough, program coordinator at the shelter. "People get tired of lectures, this is more hands-on," he said.

Pet Pals is being integrated into the educational programs the shelter offers, Yarbrough explained. A Pet Pal visit already is set for at least one Cape Girardeau school. Persons interested in learning more about Pet Pals or in inquiring about a visit should contact Yarbrough at the shelter.

There is no charge for the Pet Pal visits, which can be single dates or on a set schedule, Yarbrough noted

"Our Pet Pals are totally donating their time and energy, the humane society is happy to be the go-between" in scheduling the visits, Yarbrough said.