Students gain experience, help animals at the same time

For so many not-for-profit organizations, volunteers can mean the difference between accomplishing things and not being able to fulfill their missions.

While dedicated staff members often perform the work of several people at once, budgets are tight.

A recent project for the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is a prime example of how volunteer labor can accomplish vital things.

A group of construction-management students from Southeast Missouri State University has been building a new, much larger intensive care unit for cats and dogs that will keep them separated from healthier animals and give them a better chance at recovery while they wait for permanent homes. It also will serve as a barrier between their illnesses and the Humane Society's healthier animals.

"Being able to have a separate ICU for the animals that come in that are not healthy, that are sick and sometimes have contagious diseases, is going to make a huge difference for us," director Tracy Poston told the Southeast Missourian in a recent article. "It's definitely going to be a true lifesaver."

The new building, to be placed on the Humane Society's property off Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau, is 12-by-32 feet with its own air supply and laundry facility and has been under construction at Southeast's Polytechnic Building. The only costs involved in its creation were the building supplies needed for the students -- and many of those were donated.

Meanwhile, the 26 students derive their own benefit from the project, which has been giving them real-world experience they will need as they move toward their own careers. "The students learn a ton out of it," instructor John Dudley said.

That is a true win for the community, whether for aspiring young builders or unhealthy animals in need of special care.