City promotes the welfare of animals

Mayor Mark Kruzan announced Bloomington will be recognizing Be Kind to Animals Week starting Sunday, along with the American Humane Association which has celebrated it every year since 1915.

To encourage adoptions, Bloomington Animal Care and Control will reduce all dog and cat adoption fees to $40.

Emily Herr, outreach coordinator at the City of Bloomington Animal Care and Control, said she hopes this reduction will spark some interest in the community.

“It helps bring awareness and maybe would get some people in here who wouldn’t normally come here to meet the pet of their lives,” she said.

In addition to lowering prices, the shelter brought dogs and kittens to the Farmers’ Market on Saturday to entice shoppers. They also held a poster and essay contest for grades one through six, picking winners in every grade level who will then get to attend a behind-the-scenes tour of the shelter.

“Being in a shelter is just hard on animals in many ways,” Herr said. “If we can promote the dogs and cats that we have here, and really promote them with Be Kind to Animals week, that would be great.”

Any stray animal brought to the shelter is currently held for five days. Any animal that the owner relinquished will be evaluated for temperament and health.

“As long as they don’t injure someone by biting them or have health problems, they stay on the adoption list until they get adopted,” Herr said. “We euthanize only if they have problems.”

Some animals have been in the shelter for so long that their mental conditions deteriorate and they must be transfered to a different shelter or find foster homes for them.

Even those unable to adopt an animal can find a way to help.

“Making donations is always a good way to help,” Herr said. “If you see an animal that’s in need of assistance, there are people out there that can provide help. And of course, volunteering is always a good way to start if you’re unable to adopt an animal.”
Adoption counselor Allan Tharp, a graduate of IU as of Saturday, is one such volunteer. He said he has been there for three years.

“I’ve always been an animal lover but I’ve never been able to have a dog,” he said. “Getting to work with animals that haven’t had loving individuals around is very
rewarding.”

He especially enjoys the feeling he gets when he is able to successfully match an animal with a family.

“If they come in looking for specific breeds or personalities, I can immediately say, ‘Oh, I know a good animal that would match that description,’” he said. “It’s the best, most enriching feeling.”

Tharp said events like Be Kind to Animals Week are very helpful for the shelter.
“The city of Bloomington has been very open about taking initiatives to do things for the city animals,” he said. “The special rates and promotions will make it more desirable and appealing for people to come into a shelter, instead of a pet store.”
The Monroe County Humane Association will promote Be King to Animals Week by continuing to educate the community.

“It’s the time to celebrate and promote awareness of animals in our everyday lives and what we can do for them,” said Sarah DeLone, education program director. “We try to make every week Be Kind to Animals Week.”

The MCHA sends out a newspaper to schools every other month that reaches around 60 classrooms. These focus on positive animal care and encourage spaying and neutering. They are currently focused on elementary schools.

“We talk about anything from responsible pet care to animal sheltering issues to caring for our natural resources and wildlife,” she said. “One of our animal ambassadors is a permanently injured great horned owl.”

The ambassadors discuss what the kids can do to care for their pets, as well as other animals in the community. They do a dog bite prevention program to help kids learn how to be safe around animals. Throughout the summer, the MCHA holds a Paws and Claws camp that focuses on responsibility and care toward animals.

This week, employees will visit a school in Green County. They will also make a therapy animal call at Meadowwood and Redbud Hills.

“It’s a great idea whenever we can embrace celebrating the role of animals in our lives and how we can make their lives better,” DeLone said. “Bloomington is a great place for animals.”