Shelter Spolight: Jefferson County Humane Society, OH

DrG: 00:00:21

Hi, and welcome to the Animal Welfare Junction.

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This is your host, Dr.

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G, and our music is written

and produced by Mike Sullivan.

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The last two days, yesterday and today, I

have spent at the Jefferson County Humane

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Society, and I thought that it would be a

great time, a great idea, to talk to some

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of the members here about where they came

from and how they got to where they're at.

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So, I'm going to have them

introduce themselves and what they

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do at the Humane Society here.

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Rachel: Hi, I'm Rachel Gilman.

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I'm one of the board members

of the Humane Society.

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Di: Hi, I'm Di Lorenzi.

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I'm board operation officer with the

Jefferson County Humane Society, and I do

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volunteer work, walk dogs, foster dogs.

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Pretty much everything.

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DrG: Awesome.

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So one of the things that I want my

listeners to understand is like we

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started the rascal unit 18 years ago,

and we've been coming here for 18 years.

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So this was 1 of the 1st

locations that we came to.

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So, before we talk about, though, what

we have done while we're here, how

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about you tell us a little bit about

the history of the humane society?

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Di: Okay, um, what year did we start?

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50 1950.

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Oh, 1915.

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Okay.

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I'm sorry.

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It was run by just a group of

women that started out just

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wanting to help the animals.

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And for the years, we just got more and

more involved in working with animals.

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I came on probably about 25 years ago.

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And actually we're working out of the

old shelter, which wasn't even a shelter.

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It was a pound.

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Very, very high euthanasia rate.

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No medical attention whatsoever.

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Really was in a bad place.

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We started to levy.

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Had to fight to get a new shelter built.

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And that was, oh, about 2008, 2009.

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We kind of started working on that.

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Took quite a few years

to get the levee pat.

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Well not the levee, pass the

everybody to get involved with

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it and it passed with like 68

percent of the county voted for it.

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So it was a very good thing.

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And that's pretty much when we

started working out here, we

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started coming out volunteering.

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It took a long time to get

where we are now, which we are.

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Not actually a low no kill shelter,

but our percentage is very, very low.

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We're a County facility,

so we can't be a no kill.

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DrG: So when the, when the humane

society got founded back in: 1915

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was it, uh, was it a dog pound?

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Was it an animal control facility or

was it just like a humane society?

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Di: Actually, it was just a

humane society because they did

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have, you know, Humane officers.

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I think they only got paid

like 5 dollars a case.

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You know, we were just they

were just starting out.

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Uh, the and the county

took care of the dog pound.

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We had No relationship with them,

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Rachel: and there was no adoption

program at all at the old dog pound.

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DrG: Okay.

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So they just picked up animal.

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They were literally like dog catchers.

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Exactly.

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They picked up a dog

and they euthanized it.

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Rachel: And if the owner didn't show up

in 3 days, then the dog was put down.

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Di: Yes.

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DrG: So when, when we started coming

re, we started coming here in: 2006

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which is when the Rascal Unit started.

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And I know that you guys were

having a huge problem with diseases,

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especially like with cats getting sick.

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But I remember that

Parvo was a big problem.

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Di: Oh, Parvo was terrible at the

old place and apparently when we

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opened a new place, but we didn't

really have any ways to test it.

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The dog warden would just look

at them and believe that it was.

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DrG: So probably some animals

that did not need to be euthanized

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were being euthanized because they

thought that maybe they had or

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even just to control the numbers.

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Di: Exactly.

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Yeah, that's exactly what it was.

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So, that's when we really got

involved and we've got a contract

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with the county to come in here,

our people and run the shelter.

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And, you know, we did all the computer

stuff and everything and, and, you

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know, we started the adoptions and we

got involved with vets getting vets to

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come in here and help us with stuff.

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Rachel: And with that contract,

we, we basically did medical intake

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on every animal that came in.

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So they got updated on

their immunizations.

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If they had a medical issue that it

got treated, we did all the medical

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care in the medical room in this.

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Um, and so animals that got adopted out

were sort of cleared and ready to go.

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Okay.

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Yeah.

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DrG: Yeah.

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So big improvement from just picking up

dogs and euthanizing them to trying to

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find them homes and then actually taking

care of them to find them good homes.

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Di: Oh, definitely.

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DrG: Well, they were healthy.

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Di: I mean, before we got our vet in here,

uh, the euthanasia rate was ridiculous.

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It was just terribly, terribly ridiculous.

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It was very, very high.

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Once we got the contract and it takes

two people, a dog warden and a board

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member to sign off on euthanasia.

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So I just can't go in and say,

oh, well, that dog needs put down.

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There should be two people to sign for it.

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Now, as I said, we have a very,

very, very low euthanasia rate.

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It's If an animal has been hit by a

car, if it's court order, severely

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aggressive, or if it has cancer, and

it's really not going to make it.

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Yes.

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Then we will do that.

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But no, if we could find a home, and we

also work with rescues, if we can find

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a home for'em, you know, we get them

adopted out if we can't, then we try to

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find fosters for we have a trainer that

comes in now and she works with the dogs.

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We work with the community, and we

have um-teen volunteers in here and

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it's, it's a wonderful thing when you

see all these older folks when they

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come in because they just want to

walk a dog, but they can't have one.

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I mean, it is very good.

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You know, we're helping the

community and that's what we needed.

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We need to get together with the

community to help these animals.

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And I think we've done a wonderful job.

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DrG: Well, and it's nice that you

have this nice facility, right?

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Because it's, it's attractive to people.

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Like, I know when I was growing up, I

didn't want to go to the dog pound or

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the shelter because it was depressing.

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And I was thinking, I'm going

to go in there and all these

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animals I'm not helping, like,

they're going to get killed.

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So, I think that people come here

and they don't have That mentality

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and they don't have that perspective.

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So they come here and it's

kind of like a happy place to

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Di: exactly what it is.

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Rachel: Yeah, because

it's a newer building.

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And then we also had the county

doesn't have a mandate to take care

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of cats, but in 2013, we, we signed

a contract that we could take care

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of the cats as part of the shelter.

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So that is done.

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Just the humane society's job as well.

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So now we have a cat room and,

and, and we're able to do the

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same thing for cats and have an

adoption program for them as well.

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DrG: That is really nice because

all those places that we go to,

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they can only do dog, right?

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And, and they, and there's

nothing that they can do about it.

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Like their hands are tied.

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They legally can not take in any cats.

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So that's kind of nice that

people here can, can bring either.

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Di: Yeah.

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DrG: And, and then I want you

to talk about the clinic that

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you guys built because that was

a, that was a big thing, right?

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It was like a, a big risk and

it really was kind of a, it was,

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it was pretty amazing what you

have been able to do with that.

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So you want to talk about

the beginnings of that?

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Di: When we first got our 1st

vet, we worked in our medical

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room, which is what is that?

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A 10 by 15 room.

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I mean, it's very, very

tiny and we started low cost

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wellness checks for these animals.

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We were bombarded here.

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We were here till late at night, just

giving shots, just doing wellness check.

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Rachel: People were lined up out the door.

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People were waiting outside

chairs outside and it was

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Di: it was crazy.

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So that's kind of what

we started talking about.

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We probably need to look for another

building and it just so happened our

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humane officer is also part time.

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Police, uh, uh, he was riding around

and he saw a building that had been

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on the market for quite a few years

and it was like an old church, but

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I mean, it was a nice building.

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Uh, so he inquired about it and he came

back to us and he says, you know, they

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want, I can't remember how much they

wanted for it, but we put a low bid in.

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This is, wow, we probably can't

afford it, but let's put a low bid in.

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So we did put a low bid in, not

even thinking that we would get it.

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And like the next day they'd come back

and they says, yeah, you could have it.

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Rachel: And

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Di: it's like, now what!?

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That is, that is exactly what happened.

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We're sitting here looking at each

other like, yes, yes, this is wonderful.

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We just all stopped and looked

at each other like, what the

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heck are we gonna do now?

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Rachel: We were a board of like 12,

12, I think we had, we had one guy on

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the board and 12 women and we thought,

all right, you know, let's, let's go.

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Di: We knew nothing about setting it up.

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We knew, We weren't vets, none

of us, we're not vet techs, we're

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volunteers at an animal shelter

and we actually did research.

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I know I contacted you on a lot of things.

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You know, what should I put here?

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What all do I need?

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Um, and with our nonprofit, we were able

to get through grants and everything.

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We're getting like a lot

of things that we needed.

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We rebuild it on the inside.

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Um, we had fundraisers,

you know, to pay for.

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You know, different rooms

and different parts of it.

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Uh, we have a euthanasia room.

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It's very pretty.

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Uh, we have an x-ray room,

which was the closet, but it

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was a perfectly sized closet.

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Uh, we have 3, uh, exam room exam rooms,

uh, surgery room, uh, animal holding

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our humane officers also located there.

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Uh, and from there.

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We got another vet to come in and

work and we've been doing really good.

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DrG: So what, what services

do you offer at the clinic?

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Di: Well, right now we do spaying and

neutering of all the animals here.

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Uh, here at the shelter

here at the animal shelter.

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Yeah.

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Well, we take them to the

clinic, but these animals

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right now, we don't have a RVT.

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We're still looking for 1.

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so until we get an RVT, we can't really

do any public, but we do have, like,

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walk ins where they can come, the vet

will check their dog and their animal.

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And if they need a dental or something,

we'll refer them to some place.

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Um, heritage usually.

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Rachel: Yeah, when we're fully staffed

and we had an RVT, um, and the vets,

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we were able to do public animals.

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People could come in with lumps and

bumps with their animals or, you know,

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um, tumors and spays and neuters and

all that kind of stuff for public.

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And we were able to offer low

cost services, and that was really

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important for our clientele.

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Um, and then we would run

wellness days as well.

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And then we also have community

care and we had community care.

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So we have a fund that we can help

people to fray the cost of their

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animals, animals care, and we

fundraise for that every year as well.

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Um, and then with losing the RVT,

we were unable to do private animals

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and, you know, public animals anymore.

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And then we just were restricted

to our shelter animals,

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Di: spaying and neutering, but

everything else we pretty much can do.

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For everybody, and we do have it like,

once a week that they could come in

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like, 10 to 7 or something like that.

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And they could get their shots.

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They're just an exam or whatever.

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They need now trim, whatever and

euthanasia, of course, you know, because

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they can use the euthanasia room.

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Um, so I think we've helped.

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There's, there's a lot of people

in need out here and it just breaks

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your heart because they cannot

afford to go to a regular vet.

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And I've had people come up to me with

baggies full of quarters, you know, and

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I'm like, okay, just keep the quarters.

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I can't take care of that.

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DrG: Well, and even just yesterday,

you want to talk about the lady that

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showed up yesterday with her dog?

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Di: Oh,

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Rachel: yeah.

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Yeah.

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Di: Yeah, we can.

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Rachel: So we had a woman show up

to get her dog spayed, I guess,

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neutered, neutered, um, and, uh,

she didn't have an appointment.

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She had seen that the

van was going to be here.

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And so she thought she would just come to

realize she had to make an appointment.

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And, and so, um, you were graciously able

to put the dog on the schedule and, and

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we told her how much it was going to cost.

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And she said, Oh, I have 25 dollars,

and we said, okay, we want your animal.

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Fixed and she had to get the animal

fixed in order to be able to stay in

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her apartment that the landlord had

dictated the animal had to be neutered.

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Um, and so we decided that and I

decided, hey, look, you're here.

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We can get this done for you.

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It's really important.

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You have, you can keep your

dog and stay in your housing.

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So, um, we defrayed the cost.

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Di defrayed the cost of the

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Di: tab on it.

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I mean.

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I felt that she, she was an older woman

and she was crying and I'm not going to

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let her go away without having that done.

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And that's why we have the

community care fund because these

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people want to do the right thing.

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Yeah, they just do not have the money.

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DrG: Yeah.

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And you and I mean, it's so important

human animal bond is so important,

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especially if it's an elderly

person and she doesn't have money.

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And the only thing that

she has is that dog.

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And then, you know, she's

going to face eviction.

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And sadly, there are people that choose

eviction over losing their animal.

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So, yeah, so, you know, it was, it was

a little bit of help giving her a little

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bit of money to get her dog fixed,

but potentially keeping her housed.

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Di: She was

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happy.

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DrG: Right.

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Di: And that's all that matters.

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DrG: And the appreciation that people,

you know, I, I strongly believe that

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everybody should have access to care.

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Yeah.

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And, and, you know, if they can, if

we can have them be responsible for

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it, great, but to a certain extent to

whatever they can, the most important

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is how can we keep them together?

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Di: Yeah.

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And I mean, she was very

happy to pay the 25.

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And I picked up the rest of it

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Rachel: and we had some food samples.

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Actually, we had gotten a donation of of

food that had come in a few weeks ago.

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That was actually refrigerated food.

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So we had to be used in

a certain amount of time.

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So we gave her a bunch of bags of that.

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And she picked the dog up.

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So so we, we also run 1 of the

other programs that we run as a food

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pantry and twice a month, we have

a site that we distribute it from.

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And so we get donated food from

Walmart, actually, and we pay.

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Get up every other week in our van, and

we bring it, we unload it, and then on

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the off weeks, um, we give it out on

a Saturday morning, and so volunteers

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actually come and do the unloading of

the van, and they also distribute the

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food, and, and, and we're, we always have

a huge line of people for that as well.

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Di: And the volunteers love it.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, you can't you can't tell

a volunteer we could stay home

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because they want to be there.

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I don't care if they're

just sitting around.

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They love doing that.

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Yeah, it's good program.

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Yeah.

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DrG: And do you have any, any

requirements from the people?

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Or is it as long as they show

up and they need food, you're

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going to get it talked about.

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Rachel: We talked about requirements.

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We've kind of bounced around on the

board a little bit of do you need to

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proof have a proof of income or that

you're on assistance or some sort and.

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It's a discussion we continue to

have, because sometimes we don't

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get as much food to give out.

311

: 00:16:43

We try not to, we try to give it out

fairly, not give tons to one person.

312

: 00:16:49

But I think all of us feel like

if people need it, they show up,

313

: 00:16:53

we're going to take them at face

value and give them that food.

314

: 00:16:55

Yeah.

315

: 00:16:56

Yeah,

316

: 00:16:57

DrG: I appreciate that because there are

people that don't qualify for assistance,

317

: 00:17:01

right, for income assistance, but just

because you don't qualify on paper

318

: 00:17:05

doesn't mean that you're living paycheck

to paycheck or that you're struggling.

319

: 00:17:08

And it also, it also makes people feel.

320

: 00:17:12

How do I say, like, pointed at to

say, show me your proof that you're

321

: 00:17:16

poor, and then they have to show you

a piece of paper to show you that

322

: 00:17:19

you're poor, and that makes them

feel like dirt sometimes, right?

323

: 00:17:22

I

324

: 00:17:22

Di: would never go to a place like that.

325

: 00:17:24

That's one thing.

326

: 00:17:26

I won't be involved if

we're in a Start asking, and

327

: 00:17:29

Rachel: I think it's hard for

people in general to even come

328

: 00:17:32

to to to a pantry and get in line

to ask for food for their pets.

329

: 00:17:37

And, um, and so you just do it.

330

: 00:17:40

Yeah, because

331

: 00:17:40

Di: we have, and I think now that they've

seen how our volunteers are, they're

332

: 00:17:44

real chipper and happy and everything.

333

: 00:17:46

We have a 1 senior citizen

who actually makes beds.

334

: 00:17:52

She has nothing to do.

335

: 00:17:52

So she sews beds and stuff.

336

: 00:17:54

So then everything will

bring big bags of them.

337

: 00:17:56

We pass them out of the pantry

and everybody loves them.

338

: 00:18:01

And I mean, it's sweet cause it

gives her something to do and

339

: 00:18:04

it helps these other people out.

340

: 00:18:06

So, I mean, it's great for the community.

341

: 00:18:08

It's great for everybody.

342

: 00:18:09

DrG: Yeah.

343

: 00:18:10

No, and community involvement in general,

none of us ever know when we're going

344

: 00:18:14

to be the ones that are struggling.

345

: 00:18:15

Right.

346

: 00:18:15

So it's kind of good to give back

because we never know when we're

347

: 00:18:18

going to need a little bit of help.

348

: 00:18:20

Di: Exactly.

349

: 00:18:21

DrG: So 18 years ago, I remember I

came and met with you guys and there

350

: 00:18:26

were a couple other organizations

that we met with as well.

351

: 00:18:29

And I was very, very pregnant.

352

: 00:18:30

I was like nine months pregnant.

353

: 00:18:32

I had my child like a week later.

354

: 00:18:35

We met at the, uh, I think at the college

to talk about bringing in spay and

355

: 00:18:41

neuter what was that like for you guys?

356

: 00:18:43

Finding somewhere someone that

was able to do spay and neuter.

357

: 00:18:46

And how did that change the way that

the humane society was able to evolve?

358

: 00:18:50

Di: It changed it a lot because we really

couldn't get any vets to work with us.

359

: 00:19:00

I mean, you could go to one group

and they'd say, Oh, okay, we'll

360

: 00:19:04

give you 10 dollars towards it.

361

: 00:19:06

Well, 10 dollars ain't

covering anything for anybody.

362

: 00:19:09

So we had been looking for different.

363

: 00:19:13

vets that travel around and

do this because we really

364

: 00:19:15

didn't know anything about it.

365

: 00:19:17

And then Sally had found

out about rascal unit.

366

: 00:19:21

So she contacted you and

then we talked to you.

367

: 00:19:24

And I mean, we were,

that's what we wanted.

368

: 00:19:28

We wanted to be able to fix these animals.

369

: 00:19:30

We wanted to fix some of the animals

out at the pound at the time.

370

: 00:19:35

We desperately needed it in this

area and it has helped us immensely.

371

: 00:19:41

I mean, you come like 2 times a year

and even when we lost our vet the 1

372

: 00:19:45

time and got sick, you came down on your

own and helped us by doing surgeries.

373

: 00:19:51

And that kept us going.

374

: 00:19:52

So we really need some vets and RVTs, but.

375

: 00:19:56

You know, it's kind of slim pickings, so

376

: 00:19:59

DrG: yeah, the veterinary shortage

is affecting everyone and shelters in

377

: 00:20:03

general, and we're hoping, you know, we

have programs with students hoping that.

378

: 00:20:07

We're going to encourage more

veterinary, future veterinarians to do

379

: 00:20:10

community work and community service.

380

: 00:20:12

And

381

: 00:20:12

Di: yeah, I mean, they used

to do that like years ago.

382

: 00:20:15

I could remember all the vets in the

area used to do pound the animals,

383

: 00:20:20

give a day a month or something like

that, but they don't do it anymore.

384

: 00:20:25

But now, you know, we

have the rascal unit.

385

: 00:20:28

It has helped so much.

386

: 00:20:29

I mean, I remember the 1st time you

guys came, we were at the college and.

387

: 00:20:38

I think we had, like, a 1, 000, 000

people and I mean, literally a 1, 000,

388

: 00:20:42

000 people and their animals showed up at

9 o'clock and that was, that was crazy.

389

: 00:20:49

We were like, okay, this

ain't going to work that way.

390

: 00:20:53

Um, but, I mean, we learned from

it, you know, we've evolved I will

391

: 00:20:56

always remember that 1st 1 because.

392

: 00:21:00

It was real hot out and

you're just wandering around.

393

: 00:21:04

Oh, yeah, it'll be all right.

394

: 00:21:06

It'll be all right.

395

: 00:21:08

I'm having a breakdown.

396

: 00:21:09

Sally's laying on the ground and

Ellen was just like, holding her head.

397

: 00:21:12

Like, oh, my God, but yeah,

it really helped us a lot.

398

: 00:21:16

And I think we've.

399

: 00:21:18

We went 1 year.

400

: 00:21:18

We didn't have you and then

because Helen couldn't handle it.

401

: 00:21:22

And I, I says, I think

we need to get them back.

402

: 00:21:26

I says, I will take over running it.

403

: 00:21:29

And I've been doing it ever

since that and made a lot of

404

: 00:21:33

mistakes, but I also learned a lot.

405

: 00:21:36

So, it's been great.

406

: 00:21:39

Yeah, you've helped

Jefferson County immensely.

407

: 00:21:42

DrG: Well, and that's and

that's all we can do, right?

408

: 00:21:44

Learn from what doesn't work and learn

from what does work and then move forward.

409

: 00:21:48

Because everywhere that we go

to operates differently, right?

410

: 00:21:51

What helps here is

different in other places.

411

: 00:21:54

And that's why we consider cultural

competence is knowing what is working.

412

: 00:21:58

You guys need and what your community

needs, which is different than all

413

: 00:22:01

the other counties that we go to.

414

: 00:22:03

Um, so I think that over the last 18

years, we have all evolved properly.

415

: 00:22:09

Di: Yeah, I know.

416

: 00:22:10

I've made a lot of mistakes.

417

: 00:22:11

We've made a lot of mistakes.

418

: 00:22:13

It wasn't deliberate.

419

: 00:22:14

It wasn't intentional.

420

: 00:22:16

It was just, we're learning and we learned

really quickly not to do it again, right?

421

: 00:22:22

So, you know, we're trying and

we're doing that for the people

422

: 00:22:26

and we're doing it for the animals.

423

: 00:22:28

We are not doing it for

our own recognition.

424

: 00:22:31

I do not like,

425

: 00:22:32

Rachel: and we're certainly

not doing it for the money.

426

: 00:22:36

Di: Yeah, I lost more than I make

427

: 00:22:40

DrG: know.

428

: 00:22:41

And I think that, it kind of starts

with, by bringing spay neuter and

429

: 00:22:45

medical care, the community starts

taking, uh, an initiative to take

430

: 00:22:51

care of their animals, right?

431

: 00:22:52

And then they become not just

a dog and cat that is outside.

432

: 00:22:55

Now all of a sudden we're

letting the dog inside.

433

: 00:22:58

And now we're worried about the vaccines

and, you know, fleas and ticks are

434

: 00:23:02

not just something that dogs get.

435

: 00:23:04

It's like, let's take care of it.

436

: 00:23:06

So we have seen over the years when.

437

: 00:23:08

People would come in and just get

them fixed and now they're asking for

438

: 00:23:12

preventive care because they care, right?

439

: 00:23:14

And they and they've been educated We're

all doing a really good job and you guys

440

: 00:23:18

are doing an amazing job at Providing them

with resources and education so that they

441

: 00:23:24

can take better care of their animals.

442

: 00:23:26

Di: Yeah.

443

: 00:23:26

I mean, like I said,

we learn all the time.

444

: 00:23:29

We've had um-teen cats come in with

ringworm and this was years ago and

445

: 00:23:35

they automatically got put down.

446

: 00:23:37

Yeah, well.

447

: 00:23:39

Ringworm isn't that bad.

448

: 00:23:40

It's not fatal.

449

: 00:23:41

I mean, you can fix it.

450

: 00:23:43

DrG: Yeah.

451

: 00:23:43

Di: And for how many years we

lost so many cats because of that.

452

: 00:23:47

And now these people, you know, we tell

them, we explain to them what to do and

453

: 00:23:50

how to take care of it and don't touch.

454

: 00:23:52

And they're just amazed.

455

: 00:23:56

They're like, Oh my God, I

thought, you know, I thought

456

: 00:23:58

we'd have to put them down.

457

: 00:23:59

It's like, no, not at all.

458

: 00:24:00

Right.

459

: 00:24:01

And even if a person gets it,

it's very easy to take care of.

460

: 00:24:05

DrG: So, 1, 1, last thing that I

wanted to discuss, because 1, I mean,

461

: 00:24:08

you guys have done a lot with the

shelter and then you have a website

462

: 00:24:12

and an app and stuff and people can

get information about the animals.

463

: 00:24:15

Can you talk about that?

464

: 00:24:17

Rachel: Yes, our so our system, anytime

an animal comes in, we have an, you know,

465

: 00:24:21

give an identifier and then we basically

our system links into pet finder.

466

: 00:24:25

So we're able to put those animals

to out so people all over can see

467

: 00:24:30

them nationally, uh, and we found

that we've had a pretty wide reach.

468

: 00:24:34

Um, you know, we use Facebook

a lot to put animals out there.

469

: 00:24:38

But if people were to get on pet finder

and then and search, they're going to be

470

: 00:24:42

our animals are going to pop up from them.

471

: 00:24:44

And we're getting adoptions

from pretty far away

472

: 00:24:46

Di: people from distance,

473

: 00:24:47

Rachel: various parts of Ohio and

Pennsylvania and stuff that we'll

474

: 00:24:50

see a dog and they'll want that dog.

475

: 00:24:51

So, um, and then I think we get a lot of

people that will call, you know, go to

476

: 00:24:56

the website to look for information about

the, you know, the vet care, the clinic

477

: 00:24:59

that we have, um, foster programs or the

rescues that we put on hold shortly now,

478

: 00:25:05

but hopefully we'll pick back up again.

479

: 00:25:07

Di: Even our shirts and stuff.

480

: 00:25:09

Oh, yeah, we put that up our raffles

and we get a lot of people that, you

481

: 00:25:13

know, they just want to help the animal.

482

: 00:25:14

They don't want to win

a bouquet of flowers.

483

: 00:25:17

They just want to help the animal.

484

: 00:25:19

And I believe I know I don't believe

I know that there are a lot of other.

485

: 00:25:25

Animal groups out there that have

a little more respect for us,

486

: 00:25:28

Jefferson County than they did

before because we'll get messages.

487

: 00:25:33

You know, what do you do about this?

488

: 00:25:35

How did you guys fix that?

489

: 00:25:37

We never had that before.

490

: 00:25:38

And it's all because we put

stuff on, you know, Facebook

491

: 00:25:42

on our website and everything.

492

: 00:25:44

This is what we're doing.

493

: 00:25:45

This is what our main officers are doing.

494

: 00:25:47

And we do have a lot of other animal

groups all over the country calling us.

495

: 00:25:54

Rachel: We have, we, we have

somebody who does PR for us.

496

: 00:25:57

Um, and I think that's

been really important.

497

: 00:25:59

So not just the PR, you know, for the

humane cases that come in, obviously

498

: 00:26:03

we put a lot of focus on that, but PR

for the clinic and what we can provide

499

: 00:26:08

the community and what's going on at

the shelter and other outreach things

500

: 00:26:11

that we're doing and when we have

adoption events and things like that.

501

: 00:26:14

So that's been really helpful.

502

: 00:26:15

I think, Oh gosh, yeah.

503

: 00:26:16

Grow our community and the

more people that see it.

504

: 00:26:19

More people than, you know, comment on

things and donate, obviously, because

505

: 00:26:23

we're a completely donation driven

organization, um, and, um, and all

506

: 00:26:29

our staff, we pay through donations.

507

: 00:26:31

So.

508

: 00:26:32

Di: We get no money from very little money

from the county and we get no money from.

509

: 00:26:39

The national you know, I mean,

they have their own problems.

510

: 00:26:42

I have to take care of all our money

is fundraising and personal donations,

511

: 00:26:49

Rachel: right?

512

: 00:26:49

We've paid staff at the clinic

and here at the shelter.

513

: 00:26:52

Our humane agents are employed

by us and we pay them.

514

: 00:26:56

The board members are all volunteer.

515

: 00:26:57

Yeah.

516

: 00:26:58

And, um, and obviously

we pay our vets as well.

517

: 00:27:02

DrG: So what, what is the

website that people can get more

518

: 00:27:04

information and see all the awesome

things that you guys are doing?

519

: 00:27:07

And if they have some extra money,

send that donation your way.

520

: 00:27:10

Di: Yeah, if you would just

get on our Facebook page,

521

: 00:27:13

there is a link to the website.

522

: 00:27:15

I don't

523

: 00:27:16

Rachel: it's it's Jefferson

County Humane Society.

524

: 00:27:18

. DrG: Here we go.

525

: 00:27:19

All right.

526

: 00:27:19

So anybody that wants information

about the humane society can go to

527

: 00:27:22

Jefferson County humane society dot net.

528

: 00:27:25

So Jefferson County

humane society dot net.

529

: 00:27:29

And this is the Jefferson

County humane society.

530

: 00:27:31

It's in northeast Ohio.

531

: 00:27:34

Steubenville area.

532

: 00:27:35

So thank you so very much for being

part of this interview and for sharing

533

: 00:27:40

information because hopefully this can

be, uh, you know, give hope to smaller

534

: 00:27:45

groups that are thinking we can't do it.

535

: 00:27:47

And yeah, you can do it.

536

: 00:27:49

You have to put a lot of effort,

537

: 00:27:50

Di: but you can't do it

as small as they were.

538

: 00:27:52

Yes, they can do it.

539

: 00:27:55

DrG: Fantastic.

540

: 00:27:56

Excellent.

541

: 00:27:56

Well, thank you so much for sharing

and for everybody listening.

542

: 00:27:59

Thanks for listening and

thank you for caring.