Look Ahead: Florence County animal advocates hope for spay-and-neuter facilities

A new Florence County animal control facility is nearly ready to open and an improved Florence Area Humane Society shelter is in the works, but spaying and neutering also are foremost in the minds of those helping local animals.

The county facility, in Effingham, could open in February, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony following shortly thereafter, county councilman Morris Anderson said.

Because the current facility has no heat, “the sooner we can get the animals into that new facility, the more humane it will be,” he said.

The humane society, meanwhile, plans to go before Florence City Council this month for an update on the plans and funding for its future shelter on McCurdy Road, humane society president Jayne Boswell said.

Florence city leaders and residents have shown they are a “community of compassion,” Boswell said.

“Right now, (the animals) have a humane chance at survival, and as a community that’s a moral obligation that we have,” she said.

Even with larger facilities that include a surgical suite, the Florence area still needs the separate spay-and-neuter facility to help control the animal population, Boswell said..

“It’s an unmitigated flow of litters of kittens and puppies that we see on a yearly, ongoing basis, and if we don’t do anything to stop that ... there’s not going to be any way to take in everything that’s out there,” she said.

The humane society handles more than 2,000 unwanted pets and strays a year. The county facility handled 8,000 animals this past year, Anderson said.

The humane society, just halfway to its $850,000 goal for a new shelter, is applying to the Asheville, N.C.-based Humane Alliance for help in establishing affordable spay-and-neuter facilities, Boswell said.

Anderson said the county will arrange for the humane society to use the spay-and-neuter facility at the new Effingham facility.

The new county building, which will accommodate 150 animals, will be easier to clean and well ventilated, Anderson said. In addition, the county will switch from gassing to humane injections for euthanasia at the new facility, he said.

As a retired veterinarian, Anderson has volunteered to perform spaying and neutering at the animal control facility.

Nonetheless, he said he’s still seeking donations from the public for such equipment as an anesthesia machine and antibiotics.

The humane society, meanwhile, is planning its third annual Bone-E-Fit fundraiser for May 7. The event raised $126,910 in 2008 and $79,421 during its inaugural event, in 2007.

The organization also plans to raise money by selling donated items at a yard sale and a booth, obtained for free, at the Thieves Market on East Palmetto Street, Boswell said.

The humane society also hopes to do a book signing with Florence native Hal Creel, who wrote the book “Do Old Dogs Dream?” The sales of Creel’s book at Porter’s Gift Shop go entirely toward the humane society, Boswell said.

HOW TO HELP

To donate to the Florence Area Humane Society’s “Help Build a Humane Domain” campaign, mail a contribution to P.O. Box 527, Florence, SC 29503.

Checks for the Florence County animal control facility can be sent and made payable to Florence County Animal Fund, 180 N. Irby St., MSC-G, Florence City County Complex, Florence, SC 25901.

Donations can be delivered in person to county offices on the eighth floor of the complex.

Humane society to hold pet adoption in Florence

The Florence Area Humane Society will have a pet adoption from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Planet Arf in Florence. The society will have kittens, puppies, cats and dogs available for the event.

The animals at the adoption will be clean and current on their shots. Those who adopt the animals will get a $25 coupon toward the cost of spaying or neutering each dog or cat, which is required by state law for all animals adopted from a shelter.

The humane society shelter is located at 1007 Stockade Drive, off National Cemetery Road, in Florence and is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. For details, call (843) 669-2921.

What’s next?

The Florence County animal control facility could open as soon as February, county councilman Morris Anderson said.

Meanwhile, the Florence Area Humane Society plans to continue raising funds and will ask Florence city leaders for an update on the status of its future shelter.

Anderson and the humane society hope to increase spaying and neutering to control the area’s animal population.