What’s the Word: Humane members could use kind word
Dogs. Cats. Shelters. Euthanization. Cremation. Spay-neutering. Non-profits. Budgets. Fundraising. Grants. Donations. Strays. The Humane Society. Closures. Commissioners. County government. Committees. Public meetings. TV cameras. Mandatory spay-neuter legislation. License fees.
These have been the hot-button words and phrases in the last couple of weeks as the situation with Warren County’s Humane Society animal shelter has played out and been reported in print and on television. Impassioned pleas for help have been made. Meetings have been scheduled. Harsh words have been exchanged.
But in the end, it seems little progress has been made. The Humane Society is still broke, and the dedicated women who work to support and run the shelter seem discouraged and broken in their own right.
Now, the women who spend so much of their free time to raise money and improve the shelter would be the first to say what matters most are the animals. They are God’s creatures, and truly innocent ones at that.
“Bless the beasts and the children,” the song goes. “For in this world they have no voice. They have no choice.”
These women strive to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. And that’s why, though I’m sure they would rather I speak for the animals they cherish and defend so strongly and selflessly, I feel compelled somehow to speak for these women who have sacrificed so much.
And though I’m sure they would prefer to remain somewhat anonymous, I am going to give them names.
I’m talking about Andy Anderson, Linda Coursey, Villa Mitchell and Roxanne Redmon. Now, I know I run the risk here of hurting the feelings of all those others who have given so much of their time and their hearts to this cause. You all have labored mightily and given so much, and I wish I could give you all credit and list all your names. But unfortunately, I don’t have the space. I wish I did. And, I beg of you, don’t resent these women because I singled them out. I did that myself, and I’m sure they will be mortified I did so. They, more than anyone, appreciate everyone’s efforts in the cause they find so important.
It’s just that these are the women I have gotten to know over the past couple of years as I have covered Humane Society shelter activities and fundraisers. I’ve seen them in happier times, full of ideas and plans to make things better for Warren County’s animals. And I’ve seen them discouraged and disheartened when their pleas and ideas and requests for help have fallen on deaf ears.
And believe me, they have some good ideas. More than anything, these women want to come up with a long-term solution to the animal overpopulation problem in Warren County. They would give anything if animals weren’t being born with a death sentence everyday.
Knowing how much these wonderful ladies love animals, I can’t imagine how they deal with what they are forced to do. These women have huge hearts and they love, truly love and respect animals. Can you even imagine how it makes these women feel to be part of putting these animals down by the thousands?
Believe me, their hearts are broken 4,000 times a year. But they still do it. They do it because they hope against hope to be able to make a difference.
Maybe it’s time we thought about them a little bit and tell them what their efforts mean to those of us who share their love of God’s creatures. God knows they could all use a kind word right now.
Too bad animals can’t talk.
Charlie Johnson is news editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].