Our local Humane Society needs help, and there are many people who are answering the call. But it simply isn't enough.
Imagine falling from a great distance. Imagine thinking that when you hit the ground, you will surely suffer extremely painful injuries, or lose your very life.
Now imagine being caught safely and securely in a safety net and not experiencing one ounce of pain or even suffering a scratch.
The unwanted, mistreated, and/or orphaned animals in Hernando County have a safety net, and it is the Humane Society of Hernando County (soon to be the Humane Society of the Nature Coast.) When people ignore their responsibilities as pet owners by either not neutering their animals, which leads to an uncontrollable rise in our stray animal population, or simply decide they do not wish to care for their animals any longer, the animals are the ones who suffer. It is not certain where these abandoned animals will end up. We sometimes find them roaming neighborhoods, chasing cars or people, or getting into our garbage looking for morsels of food.
More tragically, we also find animals on the side of the road, battered and bloody.
The Humane Society takes these animals in whenever possible, and gives them a place where they receive medical attention, food, shelter and companionship.
They also take the time and effort to ensure the animals find good homes, and follow up to ensure they are being cared for properly. They do all of this not through government funding, but through donations from the community.
Whether it be volunteering time, money or much-needed supplies, the Humane Society is a result of the combined efforts of several compassionate people who all share a common goal - to help animals that would otherwise suffer needlessly.
The Humane Society's safety net is made up of tiny threads. Alone, one thread would break and not be useful, but together with other threads, all woven together, it provides an unbreakable safety net for these animals.
Each of us has the potential of being a thread in the Humane Society. It does not take much, yet the community's combined efforts provide an immeasurable amount of support for unwanted pets.
The Humane Society of Hernando County is in dire need of "threads." Not a one-time, quick fix, but a long-term commitment from residents.
The amount of compassion and caring displayed on a daily basis by the volunteers and staff members at our Humane Society is extraordinary. They need the supplies necessary to help our animals recover and survive. There are groups of people that currently help with donating time, money and various supplies, and their donations are sincerely appreciated. However, it simply is not enough.
We need to recruit a large number of caring individuals who are willing to donate a little time and a little money. The small donations collectively add up to a big difference.
Our goal is to remind residents that when they visit the grocery store, they can pick up a few items for the Humane Society. Perhaps a few cans of dog food, a bottle of bleach, or a box of 40-gallon garbage bags.
We have compiled a list of our most needed items. If enough people purchase these items and routinely integrate the purchases into their list of supplies, our Humane Society will benefit tremendously. We will even arrange a time to pick up the items.
Simply e-mail your name, address and telephone number, and we will coordinate a schedule to pick up your items when it is convenient for you. You also are more than welcome to drop items off at the shelter during normal hours and visit the animals at the Humane Society, which is located at the corner of Wiscon and Mobley roads in Brooksville. Please visit our Web site at http://www.NatureCoastHumaneSociety.org
Together we can make a big difference, one thread - and one animal - at a time.
William Pierson is a volunteer at the Humane Society of Hernando County. He lives in Spring Hill. Guest columnists write their own views on subjects they choose, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.
