By BILL SUTLEY | Special to arkadelphian.com
Attention Arkadelphia animal-lovers: Time is running out to get lower-cost pet adoptions at the Humane Society of Clark County.
July 31 is the deadline to take advantage of lower local rates made possible by the Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters national adoption effort, which encompasses about 400 shelters in 44 states. Local interest has been slow since the Bissell event started July 8.
“I don’t even know if we’re at 10 animals (adopted) now,” said Whitney Womble, director of the shelter at 627 Walnut St.
She estimated that about 35 cats and 10 dogs were adopted during the shelter’s most recent Bissell-sponsored adoption event in May.
cleaning of kitten cages.
“Honestly, I think it’s just people’s finances,” Womble said. “I also think that’s the reason we’re getting so many dumped (dogs and cats).”
The Bissell event reduces adoption rates to $20 for cats, $25 for dogs, $30 for kittens and $50 for puppies. That covers spaying or neutering, vaccinations and microchipping. The local shelter is currently over capacity, housing about 90 dogs and over 100 cats.
“If someone came in with a litter of puppies now, I would just die,” Womble said.
While the nonprofit, no-kill shelter might have to turn those pups away, Womble said she often tries to help with “basic medical care” before that happens, providing vaccinations, antibiotics and more.
“It’s definitely my second home,” she said.
Founded by former residents Don and Dee Ross and others in 1989, the Humane Society of Clark County has grown significantly since then, when all its cats and dogs were kept by volunteer foster families. The society bought its current shelter in 2005. Massive flooding caused over $100,000 in damage in 2019. In October 2023, a meeting of the shelter’s Board of Directors featured a discussion about the possible necessity of closing the shelter within six months. The need for significant repairs and rising operating costs had helped erase $45,000 in reserve funds.
News of the possible closing generated a surge in donations locally and from beyond — most significantly an Arizona-based foundation — that made continued operations possible. There’s even a move afoot to get construction bids to turn unused shelter space into 50 indoor dog kennels. Many dogs are now in 10-by-10 foot kennels outside, sometimes as many as four dogs to a cage.
Womble, 38, a former volunteer who became director in February 2023, and the shelter’s board members stress that the shelter funds its operations – currently $14,000 to $15,000 monthly – solely from donations and adoption fees. No city or county public tax funds are involved. Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit can be made with cash or check at the shelter or mailed to P.O. Box 435, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
Online donations can be made at the shelter website, humanesocietyofclarkcounty.com. That website also makes it easier see potential adoptees at the local shelter. Through a partnership with adoptapet.com, photos and information on the shelter’s available dogs and cats are featured on the local website. Sixty-four animals were in the spotlight Monday.
The website also recruits volunteers, which are crucial to shelter operations. The shelter also welcomes donations of supplies, including cleaning supplies such as paper towels, toilet paper, bleach, Fabuloso, liquid laundry soap and Dawn dish soap; dog food such as Pedigree dry dog food, Pedigree dry puppy food and Pedigree canned food; cat food such as Purina Cat Chow (blue bag), Purina Kitten Chow (yellow bag) and Friskies canned cat food; and treats of any kind except rawhide.
Staffers and volunteers keep the shelter’s animals fed and cared for seven days a week. It’s open to the public from noon-4 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, call 870-245-2579.
Cynthia Curl, who’s volunteered at the local shelter and others where she lived before returning to Arkadelphia, was off-duty Monday but visited Womble with a sick kitten.
“I like the shelter here because I think the people care a lot more about the animals,” she said.
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