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For several years the Cherokee Humane Society has worked out of the DeKalb Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Ft. Payne. Now, there will be a state-of-the-art, no-kill facility in Centre, located on ten acres in the industrial park behind Yarbrough Recreational Park.
As proposed, the shelter will offer separate housing for dogs and cats. Each kitty will get its own scratching post, and there will be a scenic trail around the grounds for dog walking and picnics. The shelter will also offer private animal boarding for traveling pet owners.
“The society will eventually serve the community in many ways,” says Cherokee Humane Society Board of Trustees’ President Freda Waters. “First, it will be willing to accept stray animals from citizens and also from county and municipal animal control officers. Second, it will facilitate adoptions of animals into suitable homes. Third, it will encourage pet owners to spay and neuter. Fourth, it will help to educate the public on proper care of animals. Finally, it will investigate cases of cruelty and neglect.”
The shelter is not only going to be a safe home for the county’s stray, abandoned and abused animals The Humane Society is also working to prosecute ‘dumpers’ (people who dump innocent animals and leave them for dead) and animal abusers.
Assistant District Attorney Scott Lloyd is the vice-president of the Board of Trustee, and he knows what to do with animal abusers. Lloyd assures that his office will work with the Cherokee Humane Society in its investigation of cruelty and neglect cases.
“State law provides punishment for those who senselessly hurt or neglect animals,” says Lloyd. “We will work with the Humane Society to enforce that law.”
Ethel Sprouse, member of the Cherokee Humane Society’s Board of Trustees, stated that the society intends to make sure that people who abandon animals are aggressively prosecuted. She states that dumping is a felony in Alabama, and the Humane Society will be enforcing that.
Sprouse has been working for the last year to secure land for the facility. She ran into every kind of snag, from the land not being zoned correctly to neighbors not wanting a shelter in their community.
Sprouse finally came across the perfect property, and the organization purchased it. Since the Cherokee society was incorporated, fundraisers have been held and donations accepted. At the time of the purchase, the group had enough money to completely pay for the land. Besides donations, Alabama Power gave a grant of $5,000 and the Town of Cedar Bluff and the Cherokee County Commission added the society into their budgets last year and provided additional funds. The Waffle King of Centre also held a special fundraiser, netting $400.
Now that the land is in hand, the trustees need volunteers. They are looking for anyone who would be willing to volunteer time, services, equipment or money. Delmus Brewster has volunteered to oversee the construction of the new facility and a group of retired teachers have volunteered time for grant writing. However, many more people are needed.
Anyone wishing to volunteer for this very important cause can contact Freda Waters, president of the Board of Trustees at 256-845-9463. Donations can be sent to the Cherokee Humane Society, P. O. Box 99, Centre, AL, 35960. Midway Variety is also accepting cans for the Humane Society. Instead of giving the can donor money, they give a tax-deductible receipt and the money goes to the society.
Judy Sallis is in charge of fundraisers for the Humane Society. Now that land has been acquired, you can expect to see her and the other volunteers working many “fun” raisers across the county.
Under Alabama law, humane societies and SPCAs are private organizations but are endowed with certain special powers to aid in their benevolent purpose.
The DeKalb County SPCA is helping the Cherokee Humane Society establish itself, and the trustees of the society express gratitude to the DeKalb organization for its support
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