REGIONAL— We’ve all seen the heartrending appeals on the television this time of year from groups of all kinds hoping to turn your sympathy into their next financial contribution.
Groups like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the Humane Society of the United States, routinely air hard-to-watch clips of abandoned or neglected dogs and cats shivering and alone.
Such appeals have been remarkably effective for such organizations, which have seen donations jump sharply since they began regularly airing such commercials. It’s a reflection of the fact that most Americans hate to see animals suffering and many will quickly open their wallets when confronted with such images.
But do the contributions that pour into such organizations this time of year provide the relief to abandoned animals that those many generous contributors expect?
While these large national organizations do have their missions, mostly focused on larger policy changes around animal welfare, when it comes to caring for abandoned animals in need, that’s the role most often played by local organizations in communities across the country, and those facilities rarely see a penny from the contributions made to large national organizations.
What’s more, many larger national organizations spend much more on overhead, executive compensation, and fundraising than most small entities, which are often run primarily by volunteers.
Groups like Contented Critters in Ely or the Mesabi Humane Society in Virginia, which operate shelters that serve abandoned pets here in the North County, don’t receive any funds when animal-lovers contribute to a national organization. Contented Critters relies mostly on donations to cover the cost of caring for abandoned animals, including paying the wages of their small paid staff, most of whom are students at the Vermilion college vet tech program. “It’s a great experience for them and we feel very lucky to have them,” said Hailey Myre, director at Contented Critters.
Both Contented Critters and Mesabi Humane Society are what is known as “no-kill” shelters, which means they don’t euthanize otherwise healthy animals based on time limits or space. While some shelters in larger cities are sometimes forced to euthanize animals that aren’t readily adopted, Myre said those places provide the same caring environment for animals but are sometimes overwhelmed with the numbers of abandoned pets. “Truthfully, they have a tougher job, and it can’t be easy,” Myre said. “This is why spaying and neutering is so important.”
In a season of giving, it’s understandable that people want to help with financial contributions to animal welfare. But rather than sending your money to a national organization, where your dollars will likely have little impact, keeping your money close to home will help your local community address this ongoing problem. So, the next time you see those sad eyes looking hopefully at you from the television screen, rather than calling the number at the bottom, consider picking up the phone to make a contribution to your Contented Critters or the Mesabi Humane Society. You can contribute to Contented Critters through their website at www.contentedcrittersmn.org/donate or through Venmo at ContentedCrittersMN or by sending a check to Contented Critters, PO Box 298, Ely, MN 55731.
The Mesabi Humane Society lists several ways to contribute on their website at https://mesabihumanesociety.org/donate. You can also send a check to: The Mesabi Humane Society, 2305 Southern Dr., Virginia, MN 55792.