# My Shelter is Closing... (Long!)



## AmberH

I’m really stressing right now. Just got the news today that the shelter is on the brink of closing. Yes, we’ve had this discussion before and the shelter did close temporarily last year for three months. The talk this time if about it being for good. The director said she hopes that all of us will stick it out and see what happens because we’ve got a few options. Decrease staff and jeopardize the care of the animals? That won’t and cannot happen. The animals are our number one priority. The boards comeback, euthanize all animals who have been at the shelter for six months or longer. NO WAY! We can’t do that. It’s not fair. Most of the animals in that category are the ones we’ve known since they were puppies and kittens. 

The board has it easy and they are worthless. Their main purpose is to come up with fundraising and from what I understand, they’ve basically been doing nothing. Our bank account is on 0. I’ve been at the shelter for going on two years now and I’ve meet three, maybe four of the board members total. They never come out to the shelter. Yeah, it’s easy to sit back and say put them down. They don’t know the animals personally. That’s eight hours a month. That could cut back on paying staff a little bit. The director has come up with the idea to have the board lay her off and use her salary to pay the rest of the employees. She was crying during this entire meeting and I don’t blame her. For the past year she’s basically run the shelter on her own. She’s paid bills for the shelter out of her own pocket and she doesn’t have to do that. She’s done a great job keeping this all a secret as none of the staff, who care and actually do stuff, had a clue. She told us that we’d get our checks late this week and after that.... she didn’t know if we’d be able to get paid. Most of us have families and live paycheck to paycheck. I don’t know how long we can last. One staff member has already found a job and we just go the news today. So, now we’re a man down. I can honestly say that I’m a bit jealous of her because my friend has wanted me to quit the shelter for a while now to work where my co-worker got a job today. I can’t quit on the shelter now. For the last almost two years my life has revolved around this place. I’ve literally lived and breathed this place. Almost all my waking thoughts have revolved around this place. If I lose my job at the shelter where will I go from there? 

Forget about me! What about the animals? What will happen to them? Other shelters won’t take them because we’re all basically in the same boat. Everest, Madonna, Snowflake, Hazel, Rudolph, Midnight, Daisy, Nigel, Haley, Po, and Dispy! All of them have been there for over a year and in some of their cases, two years. They’d be the first on the euth list. Some of them are really shy, that’s the reason they’ve not found homes. Two of the dogs are dog aggressive but for some reason love each other. One of the dogs is a fence jumper... that’s her problem.

We’re being proactive and now most of our cats are free to the right home. They still have to fill out an application and contract etc. We don’t make any money off of adoptions anyway. The dogs’ fees are negotiable. If the right home comes about, yeah, we’d give them away for free too. Anything to not have to put them down. We’re a “no-kill” shelter but we will euthanize for several reasons and one of them is NOT space. Several of the staff have commented that “oh, if they say to put the animals down, I’m taking So-and-so home.” That’s all fine and good but before you know, you’re going to be on Hoarders. I have four cats and three dogs and I’m not sure I could manage many more on my own. 

This makes me so mad! Something should have been done about this long ago. Not after it’s too late. It takes about $9000 a month to run the place and that’s the bare minimum that we could get by on. All food and litter is donated so that’s just bills. We’re a tiny facility. We only have 26 dog kennels and 18 cat cages but we usually have more animals than that. It’s just freaking ridiculous. 

Uuuugggghhhh!!! Okay, my rant is over now. I’m not going to go asking for donations because I don’t know how good they’ll do at this point but you never know. It could help find one more dog or cat a home. Please send positive thoughts. I feel so sick right now.

If you're interested in seeing the dogs and cats and bunnies available at the shelter, please check out our website and and look at their Petfinder pages. I'm not opposed to delivering animals to their new homes. I'll drive them where they need to go if it's a good match. 
www.hspcanimals.org

Barn homes ARE acceptable for our shy and anti-social cats. If already spayed or neutered, they are free!


----------



## Nan

Have you contacted other shelters to see if they will take some of the animals? Why do you say other shelters wouldn't take them?


----------



## AmberH

I have not personally... I'm just restating what the director told us in a meeting. I don't have a lot of info other than what I've already said above. This was more of a rant post than anything and hoping that maybe, just maybe someone would adopt an animal.


----------



## BotanyBlack

I think Everest is a beautiful girl and would be the one of the ones I couldn't refuse to take home. I really hope they all find good homes. I wish i was close enough to lend a hand. I would break down and take in a few more fosters just to help.


----------



## AmberH

Everest has been at the shelter the longest of all our animals. We don't actually have her intake papers because the previous director (idiot thief) lost a lot of stuff during his reign. All we know is she's been there longer than any of the current staff (at least 2 1/2 years). 

Fox 59 News (an Indianapolis station) is doing a story soon on shelters that are closing. I don't have the complete details but they will be sending a reporter our way soon.


----------



## BotanyBlack

Of course that would be the case. I keep telling myself, no more cats.. But then I think my Sherbert would want me to take another in someday.


----------



## AmberH

Not pushing or anything,  but I said I'd deliver or meet in the middle. Again, not pushing. lol


----------



## BotanyBlack

If they decide to put her on the Euth. list.. i will have to take you up on that. I do have a dog and 3 resident cats. as well as a foster.n Hope kids wouldn't bother her.


----------



## AmberH

I was half way kidding but I will try to keep this thread updated with everything I learn.


----------



## tarah44

I wish I was closer to you but I am in Western Canada. I lost my male last week and my female is extra needy since he left us. I'm thinking of adopting and older female cat from local shelter in the next few weeks or month. I love Mystique, Everest and Taera.


----------



## Rebbie

Is there any way to boot the board and get a new one? I have watched even strong non-profits (and even community businesses!) get run into the ground by a bad board who doesn't do their job.

But I wish the best for you all and hope something turns around soon. You have so many gorgeous animals that deserve great homes, and you all deserve a steady job.


----------



## BotanyBlack

any news?


----------



## AmberH

We have a very kind lady that has donated a lot of money to get our animals spayed and neutered over the last few months and she also wanted to donate a new free-roaming cat room. Then, we'd only have to keep cages for sick or new cats and the healthy ones could all go together. She's very aware of our situation and she and the board still want to go through with the add-on. The board is very optimistic. When she was informed of the lastest development in the story, she donated enough money to keep the shelter running for two more months. 

We have reduced operating ours though. We're now only open to the public on Tuesday and Saturday. At this time, no animals are being euthanized. The bunnies are leaving tomorrow and we're hoping with the two major adoption events this weekend and next that we'll adopt out most of the currently adoptable animals. 

Both events, outside organizations are helping with and their main focus is dogs. We still don't know about the cats. They will be taking some to the pet store on Sunday. All fees are significantly lowered.


----------



## tarah44

I am so glad someone stepped up to help even if it's just for another two months. That's hopefully enough time to find another solution to making it a lot longer. I'm sorry this is such a strain on you but kudos to you for sticking it out for the animals. You and everyone helping these animals are my heroes!


----------



## AmberH

Today was pick-your-own-adoption-fee for cats day. It was a huge success! There were 11 cat adoptions today! Whooo hoooo!! 

The shelter is now only open two days a week to the public, Tues and Sat. Things are going well and there are several big fundraisers in the works. Here's hoping for more and more success!

Here's the story that came out in the paper. The cat pictured is "Stark."
Greencastle Banner-Graphic: Local News: Humane treatment (09/01/11)


----------



## Mitts & Tess

You need to contact Nathan Winograd or Ryan Clinton (Austin Texas). They are on facebook~ in order to contact them. Explain what is going on with your board, shelter, and your on the verge of closing again. Be sure and tell them the board wants to euthanize any animal that has been there for 6 months or more. Ask them for direction and help.

They can either refer a strong leader to help you guys or they might step forward to help you. You must be willing to make fundamental changes which will ruffle feathers or you will remain mired in the same problems yet again and again. No donor or cash influx is going to resolve this. Only a fundamental change in policies. You have people~ like you, your director, that have the true good heart. That is a good basis for the willingness to change things for the good. Your board leadership will continue to be worthless and impede your efforts. They do not have a vision to make this shelter successful. They need to go. I hope the best for all of you. It can turn around for your shelter and animals there.


----------



## AmberH

At the board meeting last night, they decided that we should shut our doors for good. September 30 is our last day and September 30 is the last day for the animals. Their press statement should be out Monday but they said that all animals will be euthanized if they aren't placed by then. This sucks! Worse than sucks. Ugh! This is the first time I've actually shed any tears over the situation.

We have an adoption event tomorrow that is out of county. Last year we had 19 dog adoptions at this event and we're hoping for just as many this year. That would take care of the majority of the dogs but what about the cats? We're pulling every resource! Rescues don't seem to want to take any animals unless there's a threat of them getting killed! Well, now's their chance to step up and take them! 

The director says she going to pull every string and get ahold of every contact she has made over the years. We have several dogs that have been at the shelter for a long time and they will be VERY hard to adopt out. The board asked her last night, what if at the end of the month there are still animals here? She says there won't be. Even if rescues don't take them she told me today that they will disappear but doesn't know where that will be. 

God! I'm a mess right now. I wish I could take on more dogs but I can't! There's one cute little pit bull there that I would love to have. She's a lot of dog and probably even to much for me. I have four cats now and my family doesn't know it yet but if my little Aurora doesn't get adopted, she will be mine. I want her to have a chace with another family first. Wow... I just don't even know what else to say.


----------



## AmberH

I forgot to update this board but 28 animals were placed in loving homes on Saturday!

The article came out in our local paper last night on their website. 
Today at least three news crews came by to cover the story. 
One aired at 6 pm and one is set to air at 11 pm. 

Here's the link to the video I'm in. Don't make fun of me too much! I'm the one talking about Bo and Luke. I tried to get them to focus on Crimson but I think the camera guy was scared of her.  She's the pit bull not the husky-looking guy. That's Lane. 
Putnam County shelter scrambles to find homes for animals before its closure
I wouldn't be surprised if all the animals ended up being adopted tomorrow. There are five dogs and 26ish cats left to place. HELP in Missouri has agreed to take the remaining cats at the end of the month! The Sullivan County shelter offered to take the remaining dogs. Obviously, we still want to place as many as we can here because we don't want to burden the other shelters who have animals of their own. A wonderful coonhound rescue has agreed to take on Jed, Jethro, and Ellie Mae, the bloodhound. Yay!


----------



## RachandNito

Oh no... this is so sad. Please keep working to get homes for those poor animals! I would hate to see any of them euthanized. Message me towards the end of the month, the shelter that I work at has room to take in cats and maybe a couple of dogs, perhaps would could help take the last of them if need be? I would even drive half way or more to come get them.


----------



## Mitts & Tess

Are the shelters willing to take the remaining dogs and cats No Kill?


----------



## AmberH

The shelter taking the cats is. From their website, "We are a true no-kill shelter." I'm not totally sure what that means because we were a no-kill shelter. I don't know about the shelter willing to take the dogs but I don't think the director would even consider it if they weren't.


----------



## pchel

Is it a city or county shelter? If so then the board members's pockets are padded with money that should be going to the shelter. If not then I'd have all board members fired and new ones brought in that will raise money. That is ridiculous!


----------



## AmberH

We are a private non-profit organization. All of the board members are volunteers. Staff members are the only ones who get paid. 

*ALL OF THE ANIMALS HAVE BEEN PLACED!*

Several rescues volunteered to take a few dogs. They said if they didn't get placed then they would take them. We placed every single dog in a home, with the exception of Jethro who really needs the coonhound rescue and someone who knows his breed. 

All the cats with the exception of the sick cats and the mom and babies were adopted. The sick kittens and mom with babies are still going to HELP in Missouri. 
I'm overjoyed! But then again I'm really depressed. That means I'm out of a job sooner.  What am I going to do with my life now? I've devoted myself to the shelter for the last nearly two years!


----------

