How do you educate the public about the mission of the Humane Society that serves Meeker County?
With a pet friendly walk/run around the lake.
The Humane Society of Kandiyohi and Meeker Counties, which operates Hawk Creek Animal Shelter, had its fifth annual 4 Miles Four Paws walk/run Saturday around Lake Ripley in Litchfield.
Community members, along with Hawk Creek staff and volunteers, made their way around the lake in the company of their beloved four-legged friends, raising money for the non-profit animal shelter.
Located in Willmar, Hawk Creek Animal Shelter provides a safe housing environment for animals in between permanent homes. The registration fee from Saturday’s event included a one-year membership to the Humane Society and a commemorative t-shirt.
Dogs and cats currently up for adoption made an appearance at the event, where they met potential family members. Dogs that were not camera shy and didn’t mind getting dressed up for portraits, and Hawk Creek Animal Shelter provided information to folks interested in adopting a new dog or cat.
The walk/run took approximately an hour to complete, depending on how slow or fast dogs wanted to move. Some dogs hitched a ride in a backpack or stroller when they got tired.
Hawk Creek Animal Shelter operates on a combination of donations, adoption fees, pet claim fees, memberships, grants and fundraising efforts such as the walk/run.
It costs roughly $1,000 per day to run the Hawk Creek Animal Shelter, according to staff, which includes general animal care, vaccinations, spaying/neutering and microchipping. Plus, it takes a team of volunteers and paid staff, working hundreds of hours each month, to make sure the animals are healthy and well cared for prior to adoption.
The shelter is overseen by a board of directors made up of representatives from both counties. Meeker County board members are Beth Oberg, Cori Heacock, Tracey Besser, Sam Wood and Jon Thoma.
Together, board members and shelter staff work to find new ways to manage the shelter’s budget and to educate the public on services provided, as well as the importance of spaying and neutering companion pets.
Currently, animals caught on the streets in Meeker and Kandiyohi counties are held for five days, giving the animal a chance to be claimed by its owner. After five days, Hawk Creek Animal Shelter assumes care, well-being and expense of the animal.
About 70 million stray pets are living in the U.S., and only about 10 percent have been spayed or neutered, according to the Humane Society. When funds are available, Hawk Creek provides financial assistance with spaying and neutering. Visit http://thehskmc.com/pdfs/spayneuterapp.pdf for more information.
To volunteer at Hawk Creek Animal Shelter, or for more information about future fundraising events, visit http://thehskmc.com/index.html.
