The Humane Society Calumet Area supports the humane treatment of animals in our community by taking in animals and caring for them, holding behavioral classes for animals to make them more adoptable and helps control populations by spaying and neutering every animal they take in.
It’s an operation that spans across the shelter, a spay and neuter clinic, a store in Munster and the Moraine Ridge Wildlife Center in Valparaiso. The Humane Society has many working parts within each center.
When 8 a.m. comes around each morning, the shelter comes to life. Dogs need to be walked, blankets need to be washed, cats need litter changed and every animal needs to be fed. Volunteers are found in every corner of the building, washing dishes, washing dogs, reading to the cats or making sure every dog gets a clean and fresh blanket every day.
“Every day is a race to noon when we open to the public,” Todd Howard, Shelter Director said, “After that, this place becomes crazy. Everyone wants to meet the animals and adopt, and we do our best every day to prepare to make sure that goes smoothly. The key to our success is our volunteers.”
Stephanie Anderson, a development associate at the Humane Society Calumet Area, understands the importance of the volunteers she works with.
“Volunteers make everything happen. Without volunteers, we wouldn't be able to do any of the things we’re able to do. We help literally thousands of animals every year, and they give us the capacity to be able to go beyond what our budget allows. We’re a non-profit so we have limited budgets and limited grants. We’re limited but with volunteers, we’re limitless. We can really stretch beyond those financial boundaries, and make incredible things happen together.”
Volunteers come in many different forms. Some donate money, some donate gifts, some spend their time at the shelter, but every single person helps with the big picture.
Nearly every morning, Dave Barney arrives as the doors open. For nearly four hours a day, he works with a team of volunteers to make sure every single dog in the shelter gets taken for a walk.
He takes the dogs out rain or shine, summer or winter, 0 degrees or 80. “The dogs have to go out no matter,” Barney says. “These dogs are all terrific, and they get to know you.”
He’s a part of a huge network of volunteers who help clean, run the social media and take photos of the animals and events. They’re a family of people with the common mission to help animals. Anderson has worked alongside them for years. “Volunteers a part of every component,” she said. “I love them. I have made such great friends even working with them. They’re just the most big hearted, open, loving people I’ve ever gotten to meet in my life, and they’ve really made an impact on me personally. They’ve touched my heart.”
Some of the volunteers have even opened their homes to the shelter. Bob and Charlotte Abernathy have been fostering animals at their home for many years.
“We’ve had puppies almost every week since July, ” Bob said. “We started fostering because we love animals.”
“We devote 2 or 3 hours a day to the puppies,” Charlotte said. An average day requires cleaning their pen at least 4 times.
The puppies remain with the Abernathy’s until they're old enough to be adopted at 8 weeks. The shelter supports the foster family by providing food, medication, instructions for care and medical care. Charlotte and Bob also volunteer at the shelter, bathing dogs.
It takes a lot of people working really hard to make the shelter successful. Taking care of one dog or two is enough for the average person. One night every year, the volunteers help put on the annual gala.
“We need our volunteers. They help out in so many ways," said Molly Dunne, the marketing and event coordinator. “Without the help of everyone, tonight wouldn’t be the big party it’s becoming.”
The event was themed “Critter Carnivale” and sold out for the first time this year. 325 people attended. The event featured wine and beer, a big silent auction, a candy table, and animals from the Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. 5 puppies that were introduced to people at the gala were adopted.
The event his year raised over 41,000 dollars, money which will flow into providing services homeless and injured animals.
For more information www.hscalumet.org, and be sure to check out their wishlist for suggested donation items.