New home for Stone County’s dogs

Jerry Weber, Stone County Humane Society board member, poses next to the facility’s new sign.
Jerry Weber, Stone County Humane Society board member, poses next to the facility’s new sign.

— In early November, the Stone County Humane Society poured the concrete foundation for a state-of-the art animal shelter on Arkansas 9 just outside of Mountain View. Each 7-by-11-foot kennel will have four sound-reduction walls, an entry door, a skylight and a window. In each kennel, a doggie door will lead to an outside covered play area. The building will cost about $600,000.

SCHS Board Member Jerry Weber designed the building and is acting as contractor for the project.

“We receive animals in several ways,” Weber said. “When people can no longer take care of their pets, they drop them off with us. When someone dies, sometimes we get their pet. A lot of dogs are dumped in rural areas. Other dogs are just lost. People bring these animals in or call us to pick them up.”

In the past year, SCHS has returned more than 20 lost dogs. The other animals stay at the society’s outdoor shelter until they can be adopted.

Since it was organized in 1999, the Stone County Humane Society has been raising funds to build a new shelter.

“Every October, we hold a Paws for the Cause fundraiser in the city park [that includes] dog contests, a cake walk and kids games,” said Tina Holmlund, the SCHS president. “The $15,000 to $25,000 from this event goes to the building fund. People have also been generous about making donations. When we had $300,000, we decided to start construction. We’ve taken out a bank loan for the rest.”

Weber and his wife, Carol, donated 1.75 acres to the SCHS for the new shelter.

“The building will be 44 by 80 feet with a 12-foot surround porch so the animals can go outside,” Weber said. “There will be 10 indoor kennels for two dogs each and two multidog rooms.”

He said the building will have an isolation area for new arrivals, a food preparation room and a laundry with a bathing tub for dogs and a shower for workers.

“People can meet the dog they may want to adopt in the ‘get acquainted’ room. We have another space where we can give instruction about pet ownership,” Weber said. The new facility can house up to 22 dogs.

“Acoustical wallboard will keep down the noise for workers, visitors and dogs,” Weber said. “In shelters with open cages, someone walks in, and all the dogs start barking. It can be as loud as standing on a runway with a jet taking off.”

The building will be heated and air-conditioned.

“We’re using a multiple mini-split system,” he said. “An outside heat pump connects to wall-mounted units in each room so we can control the temperature in each space. Outside air will pass through an energy recovery system so we don’t lose very much heated or cooled air. Also, the air will be treated with ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and odors.”

To reduce costs, the building will have foam and foam-board insulation. Windows and skylights will cut lighting expenses.

“We’ve designed the building to last 50 years with minimal maintenance. [It will have] top-quality roofing and building materials,” Weber said.

Looking at a bright future with the new shelter, Holmlund then described the society’s history.

“When we started, veterinarian Dr. Bill Nixon let us keep some animals at his facility. We put others in foster homes in the community.”

In 2013, the society built outdoor dog kennels.

“They have metal walls on three sides and a roof, fencing across the front and a roll-down vinyl curtain to keep out the wind,” Weber said. “We also built a ‘cat cottage’ for indoor care.”

Paid part-time staff includes shelter manager Rachel Gosser and workers Kay Luther, Karen Kern and Autumn West. Two at a time, they work three hours each morning and afternoon.

“We feed the animals, clean their pens, socialize them, teach the dogs to walk on a leash,” Luther said. “Walking the dogs is really relaxing. This is the best job I ever had. I get up every day with a purpose. These animals save me as much as I save them.”

Holmlund said the society has spayed or neutered more than 10,000 animals.

“When we started, dogs were wandering all over town. Back then, we had a spay and neuter clinic every Monday evening, usually 25 animals each time. We still have the clinics, and I still make the appointments.”

Nixon charges the society $70 for dogs and $35 for cats, far below the usual price.

“We ask the owners to pay $70,” Holmlund said. “If they can’t afford that, we will pay $20 of the amount.”

“Every dog that comes into the shelter, we take to Dr. Nixon. We pay to have it spayed or neutered, to get shots and treatment for heartworm and fleas and ticks. It costs the society $100 or more per animal for medical treatment.”

“This year, we have adopted out 107 dogs and 68 cats,” Holmlund said. “We’ve taken in 111 dogs and 62 cats. We post a photo and story about each animal on PetFinder.com, AdoptaPet.com, facebook.com/StoneCountyHumaneSociety and our website. We are placing animals in the city, the county, the state and even out of state. A family drove down from Minnesota to get a dog. We’ve had people come from Fayetteville and Harrison.”

To adopt a healthy spayed or neutered animal with all its shots, the SCHS charges $70 for a dog and $25 for a cat.

Holmlund said the society’s yearly operating costs are about $75,000.

“About half these funds come from our Second Chance Resale shop. We also have donation jars in locations around town. Each year, the city gives us a grant. We receive donations from individuals.”

In the past, the society has received grants from PetSmart and the Bob Barker Foundation. Though the new shelter is energy-efficient, heating and cooling and higher insurance rates

will increase operating costs.

“Our board is all volunteers,” Holmlund said. “We have about eight volunteers who walk dogs, over 20 people who volunteer at the resale shop and others who work on fundraising.”

For more information, visit www.schspets.org. To adopt a dog, call (870) 269-2704. To make an appointment to have a pet spayed or neutered, call (870) 746-5055. Second Chance Resale is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 210 W. Main St. in Mountain View, (870) 269-5200.

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