Paws and Claws:
5A’s Humane Society
By Stephanie Hoke
Assistant Editor
The Alton
Area Animal Aid Association Humane Society is aimed toward the helping of abused
and abandoned pets. Affectionately known as 5A’s, the humane society opened in
Alton in 1959.
5A’s is solely a donation-based organization. Most of the donations come from
the selling of animals. Donations for all dogs is fifty dollars, and for all
cats the donation is thirty dollars.
The humane society has always had problems with capacity. Manager, Amy Crane
said, “We are always over capacity.” The number one cause of over population at
5a’s is due to people ditching animals. This is not a safe practice.
Many animals can be injured when thrown over the fences. “They get dropped off
in bags and boxes,” Crane said. An average of fifteen animals are ditched at
5A’s each month. Last year, a box of kittens was thrown over a dog fence; the
outcome of the incident was not a positive one.
Another factor of overpopulation in the community is the lack of spaying and
neutering. People are either not taking responsibility of the pets they have, or
think if they just drop them off at 5A, the “problem” will go away. This is
simply not the case.
Over population is not the only problem; another major issue is the lack of
funding
good night
because 5a’s runs on the kindness of the public and
receives no government funding.
There are currently 60 cats and 75 dogs at the humane society.
5A’s receives at least 20
telephones calls a day from people who want to give away their current pets. Due
to the strained accommodations at the facility, 5A’s cannot take as many pets as
they would like to. The humane society only accepts as many pets as they can
accommodate and successfully care for.
5A’s has to do a number of activities to raise money for the organization. They
participate in roadblocks, yard sales and even Jail and Bails. The humane
society runs into the problem of running short of supplies. When this problem
occurs, the employees themselves have to purchase the necessities.
Need List: |
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Do
you want to help?
Donations can be left at The Bridge office
Fobes 1505
Dogs: must have a fenced in yard
Cats: must be allowed to live indoors
All Animals Must be Spayed or Neutered
young animals - within 120 days of adoption
adult animals - within 60 days of adoption
No solid white or black
cats can be adopted until Nov. 1. These poor creatures have been adopted in the
past under the false pretence of a good home and then abused or killed over the
Halloween
Holiday.
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