Cooling the shelter

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: June 27, 2008

When temperatures scream toward the 100-degree mark, health officials and veterinarians warn pet owners to pay careful attention to the animals, ensuring they have shade and plenty of water.
Ironically, the Rockingham County animal shelter – which really isn’t much of a shelter at all— only installed air conditioners last week – after recorded temperatures throughout the county surpassed 100 degrees. Several animals died. While it’s impossible to say whether the deaths were heat related, it’s hard to imagine the sweltering temperatures weren’t at the very least a contributing factor.
A state inspector gave the shelter only “conditional approval” until operators could control the temperature, which was 82 when he reviewed the facility June 11. It was 9 a.m. A day later, a thermometer inside the shelter read 95 degrees mid-afternoon.
The county is planning a true shelter near Wentworth, and a committee has begun work in soliciting donations. If the leadership and committee members care even a fraction as much about animals that do those who are working and volunteering at the shelter, gaining interest in the project and raising the necessary money won’t be as daunting as it first appears. So far, however, we’ve heard little from the committee.
The $100,000 the county provides the Reidsville Veterinary Clinic to run the shelter isn’t nearly enough. It has one full-time employee—who by all accounts does infinitely more than what is expected—and a group of dedicated volunteers. Adoptions are up because of an aggressive Internet campaign, and groups and individuals throughout the county, such as the Humane Society in Eden, are helping by caring for animals and actively seeking adopters.
We are fortunate to have such people, because, as we’ve said before, for too long stray and unwanted animals in this county have been little more than an afterthought.
By the way, the air conditioners cooling the shelter were donated.