Bond County Humane Society

The Greenville Advocate, Page 1 — Story and Photos by Susan Chism, Greenville Advocate News Staff

Paws in the Park returned to its pre-Covid fun Saturday at Double J Doggie Play ’n Stay. Double J owner Jason Prichard opened up his giant side yard and dock diving pool to help raise money for Bond County Humane Society. BCHS director Rachel Hundsdorfer said “without the help from Double J and many other volunteers, we could not have pulled this off. Last year we had to cancel because we couldn’t get enough help.” Final numbers aren’t in yet, but BCHS raised more than $11,000 before expenses to provide care and medical services for dogs and cats.

Dozens of dogs brought their owners for games, contests, pictures, and just visiting with other pets. Many talked their owners into buying cool bandanas or leashes for souvenirs. They participated in several contests whose results appear below.

A somber note was right at the start. St Clair Special Emergency Services brought Holmes, a German shorthaired pointer, certified as a cadaver recovery dog. She goes into disaster areas and finds those buried under rubble.

Cutest Pet Photo winners:
Most awards went to dogs, but voters though cats were the cutest pets. Wonder the cat was named Cutest Pet. Owned by KayAnna Warthen, Wonder has no eyes, but he doesn’t know that and gets around his house quite well. Birdie, owned by Ed and Renae Barnes was second, the only dog to win in this group; Putty and Karen Waugh, third; Fabi Azrael and Rebecca Clausen, fourth.

Longest Down winners:
first, Belle with Lyla Tally; second, Katrina with Steve Kennedy; third, Tequila with Kelli Noah; fourth, Thomas Jay with Candy Busch; fifth, Vaeda with Brian Busch.

Most Sits in 1 Minute winners:
first, Ada with Leon Dorsey; second, Katrina with Steve Kennedy; third, Thomas Jay with Candy Busch; fourth was a tie between Tequila with Kelli Noah and Ruby with Mary Holt.

Fastest Fetch winners:
first, Isaac with Amy Hemann; second, Katrina with Steve Kennedy; third, Vaeda with Brian Busch.

Best Trick winners:
first, Wednesday with Heidi Thompson; second, Isaac with Amy Hemann.

Best Costume in the Pet Parade winners:
first, Black Jack with Rowen Finley; second, Athena with Tammy Finely; third, Athena with Kimberly Lovatto; fourth, Posey with Pam Conine.

Holmes, a German shorthair pointer and cadaver recovery dog from Sauget. Belle is owned by Jill Tally of Greenville.

Wonder, from Greenville, was voted the cutest pet by his photo. Photo Submitted

Big Louie from Highland, just four months old, learns about being a Big Bully from Leo of Mulberry Grove.

Wednesday, the Giant Schnauzer from Carlyle, was one of the most unusual breeds present.

The Greenville Advocate, Page 1 — Story by Rebecca Sponsler, Greenville Advocate News Staff

Bond County Humane Society has teamed up with Double J Doggie Play ’N Stay to bring Paws in the Park to Bond County this year. The event will be hosted at the Double J facility at 864 Route 127, Greenville, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is their largest fundraiser of the year, and all the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society.

This day will be a great day to bond with four-legged family members. The first Paws in the Park was held back in 2003. It was a small event but ever since it has been steadily growing. “We wanted to have something that people could do with their dogs, to strengthen the bond,” said Rachel Hundsdorfer, one of the founding members of Bond County Humane Society. Events like these are fun for the entire family. There will be contests, a parade, and a kids cove, which is new this year. You can also buy a ticket to let your dog jump off the diving dock.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. There are six competition events you can register for this year. Greenville Vet Clinic will be at the event offering microchipping for $15. At Paws in the Park, you will only be responsible for the cost of the microchip [as there is no cost for the vet to see your pet as in a typical office visit]. It is worth noting that Bond County Humane Society also offers financial assistance for spaying and neutering. Contact the office for more information.

There will also be a silent auction this year. Attendees can bid on different baskets of items that range from decorations to dog toys.

The Tennis Ball Drop is coming back this year. You can purchase numbered tennis balls which will be placed into a large lift bucket supplied by Danny Mains Tree Service. The balls will then be dropped and a dog will be sent in to retrieve three of them. Those three numbers will be the winners as in a modified 50/50 drawing.

There is also still time to enter the Cutest Pet Photo contest. Visit www.bondcohumane.org to enter your photo by Wednesday, September 13. The winner will be determined by the amount of donation money each entry receives in their container at Paws in the Park.

Bond County Humane Society is always looking for volunteers. There are 48 cats and 3 dogs in their care at the moment. If you would like to volunteer they need help with cleaning, feeding, fostering, and other tasks. They are also looking for volunteers to help set up for Paws in the Park. If you want to volunteer, call BCHS at 618-664-4068 or email bchs4pets@sbcglobal.net.

 Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) has made the difficult decision not to hold the 18th Annual Paws in the Park event this year. “It was a very difficult decision to make,” leaders of the society said, “since we depend on the income from the event to continue our mission of saving homeless, neglected, and abandoned cats and dogs.”
 A lack of volunteers to organize, set up, and conduct the event was the primary reason for cancelling. That, along with a decline in attendance at last year’s event, prompted the decision. In the past, Paws in the Park has featured dog contests, costume parade, nail trimming, vendor booths, silent auction, food, and demonstrations of K-9 Search & Recovery. The event would draw more than 350 participants and guests throughout the day. It is the hope of BCHS that Paws in the Park will return in September 2023.

 “Thanks to everyone who responded to our Facebook post about Paws in the Park being cancelled this year. We are in discussion about how we can make it happen next year. If we are able to recruit enough people to help that would definitely be a positive for future Paws in the Park events. The problem is having enough help the day before the event (a Friday) to do all the set up. This entails picking up tables, chairs and tents from Greenville University. Putting up all the tents, signage, setting up tables and chairs and installing all the snow fencing around the event area. We then need people the day of the event to organize and judge contests, register attendees for events, sell tickets for the Tennis Ball drop, cook and sell food, and assist the photographer with photos. At the end of the event we then need people to help take down tents, load chairs and tables to deliver back to Greenville University and take down the snow fencing. Anyone interested in volunteering for organizing the event and/or working the event please call or email.”
 Sincere thanks, Rachel Hundsdorfer, acting President, Bond County Humane Society

 Donations are appreciated to help Bond County Humane Society cover the expenses associated with their lifesaving mission, as well as promoting awareness and education which allow animals and humans to come together for the benefit of both. As BCHS is an approved 501c3 non-profit, your donation may be tax-deductible. Donors may make one-time or monthly financial gifts by check, credit card through Paypal, Facebook fundraisers; or make purchases from BCHS’s Chewy.com and Amazon.com online wish lists. People may also give in honor or in memory of a person, pet, or occasion. Many employers will match charitable donations, increasing the impact of your gift, so check with your company first. Find all the donation details.

 Become a MEMBER of Bond County Humane Society, ATTEND INFORMATIVE MEETINGS the first Wednesday of each month, and learn more about our shelter protocols, spay/neuter programs, volunteer opportunities, pet fostering and fundraising goals.

The Greenville Advocate, Page 5A — Story by Rachel Terry, Greenville Advocate News Staff

Greenville High School’s Give Back Day returned on May 6 after a two-year hiatus. The event is an opportunity for students to go out into the community and give back to show appreciation for the support the community has given the high school. The majority of the students participated, with students placed at 45 different locations throughout the community.

Some of the past sites were again visited along with various city locations, Patriots Park, the Fairgrounds, Bond Christian Service Camp, and Bond County Humane Society. Several new sites were added, such as the Sheriff’s Department, the Courthouse, Bond County Museum, Greenville Public Library, and Double J Doggie Plan N Stay.

Comets students and faculty volunteered over 1,000 hours.

Photos contributed by GHS

  The 17th annual event, sponsored by Bond County Humane Society, gave people and their pets a fun outing. It included competitive events, pet services such as nail trimming and micro-chipping, a pet parade, and even an opportunity for owners to have a picture taken with their pet.
  All proceeds from the event go to the local organization to fund their programs throughout the year.

Belle, a 4-year-old Great Pyrenees dog, seems to be smiling as she gets her picture taken at Saturday’s Paws in the Park event. Belle is owned by Jill Tally of Greenville.

Puppy Hugs: Madyson Theising, age 4, of Greenville found a friend at Saturday’s Paws In The Park event in Patriot’s Park.

Pooch Portraits: One of the services available at Saturday’s Paws In The Park event was the opportunity for dog owners to have a portrait with their dog. Here, Michelle Prehoda of New Mexico, who was visiting family in the area, is shown having a picture taken with her dog Zoey. The Manchester Terrier was a rescue dog she received from the humane society.

  Listed below are the winners of the various contests from 2021 Paws in the Park Celebration & Fundraiser:

• 1st: Cheyenne (dressed as a señorita in sombrero and poncho), shown by Lesley Frisby
• 2nd: Ganache (dressed as a Gorgon with snakes for hair), shown by Ted Destatte
• 3rd: Annie (dressed as a girl in a candy corn frock), shown by Sherry Clayton
• 4th: Rhea (dressed as a showgirl with feathers and sequins), shown by Caitlin Blagg

Fastest Fetch:

• 1st: Axel, shown by Zac Kiffmeyer
• 2nd: Isaac, shown by Amy Hemann
• 3rd: Dexter, shown by Hope Zidek
• 4th: Thomas Jay, shown by Candy Busch

Best Kisser:

• 1st: Isaac, shown by Amy Hemann
• 2nd: Sophie, shown by Owen, Max, & Brody Haston
• 3rd: Vaeda, shown by Brian Busch
• 4th: Tequila, shown by Kelli Jones

Best Trick:

• 1st: Isaac, shown by Amy Hemann

Most Sits in 1 Minute:

• 1st: Thomas Jay, shown by Candy Busch
• 2nd: Luna, shown by Dawn Green
• 3rd: Vaeda, shown by Brian Busch

Longest Down:

• 1st: Ivy, shown by Tara Carsrud
• 2nd: Luna, shown by Dawn Green
• 3rd: Dryver, shown by Brandi Barts
• 4th: Tequila, shown by Kelli Jones

Prettiest Petite Pure or Mix Breed:

• 1st, Annie, shown by Sherry Clayton
• 2nd: Loretta, shown by Crystal Holmes
• 3rd: Little Bear, shown by Cortney Arnold
• 4th: Ducky, shown by Rose File

Prettiest Small Pure Breed:

• 1st: Sophie, shown by Bryleigh Thomas
• 2nd: Ellie, shown by Crystal Holmes
• 3rd: Dolly, shown by Crystal Holmes

Prettiest Medium Pure Breed:

• 1st: Jazz, shown by Melody Bassett
• 2nd: Bear, shown by Vicki Enloe
• 3rd: Ellie, shown by Vicki Enloe

Prettiest Large Pure Breed:

• 1st: Holly, shown by Melayna File
• 2nd: Dryver, shown by Brandi Barts
• 3rd: Freya, shown by Emily Brooks
• 4th: Belle, shown by Emma & Lyla Tally

Prettiest Small Mix Breed:

• 1st: Tequila, shown by Kelli Jones
• 2nd: Sophie, shown by Owen, Max, & Brody Haston

Prettiest Medium Mix Breed:

• 1st: Riley, shown by Sherry Manker
• 2nd: Moose, shown by Ann Zahniser
• 3rd: Luna, shown by Dawn Green
• 4th: Old Man Reid, shown by Montana and Bryleigh Thomas

Prettiest Large Mix Breed:

• 1st: Thomas Jay, shown by Candy Busch
• 2nd: Aengus, shown by Kelly Corcoran
• 3rd: Vaeda, shown by Brian Busch
• 4th: Isabella, shown by Janice Frith

Cutest Pet Photo (voting by donations):

• 1st: Porkchop, 12-year-old Pug, submitted by Julie Heckman
• 2nd: Clifford, 1.5-year-old American Bully, submitted by Tara White
• 3rd: Vegas, 8-month-old English Bulldog, submitted by Angie Destatte
• 4th: Jynx, 2-year-old white and black shorthaired cat, submitted by Missie File

  The winners of the 2021 Tennis Ball Drop For Dollars Raffle were Dawson Enloe (first), Dusty Hanner & Julie Heckman (second), and Charity Campbell (third). Dusty, Julie, and Charity donated their winnings back to BCHS!

  Congratulations to Karen and Steve Smith on their 2021 Gerald Turley Memorial Award Honor!! The 28th Annual Greenville Chamber of Commerce award was presented to the Smiths Thursday, July 22, 2021 by Chamber President Noel Harnetiaux. During the evening’s program hosted at The Family Vine several people read or improvised statements: Mallory Fohne and Kyle Smith (Karen and Steve’s children), Cynthia Wiegand (representing The Simple Room), Teri Allen (speaking on behalf of Enertech employees), and Tony Gan (a great friend of the Smiths and operator of The Family Vine).
  Bond County Humane Society thanks Karen and Steve Smith firstly for their being so good to Greenville. Their ambassadorship includes supporting community programs and events, their church, The DeMoulin Museum, and the Simple Room. Countless hours of personal time and energy have been donated and dedicated to making sure their passion projects have purpose, development, funding, and a future.
  Bond County Humane Society thanks Karen and Steve Smith personally for their many years of support and friendship to our animal shelter operations and our shelter building itself. The Smiths’ family business and our neighbor on South Elm Street, Enertech, was instrumental in our implementation of a geothermal heating and cooling system for our cat shelter and office building opened in 2018. Enertech employees and Smith family members have pitched in with various tasks and services over the years and have become good friends of our board and of other volunteers. The Smiths also give regular financial donations to Bond County Humane Society, making a true difference in the lives of the 200 or so homeless cats and dogs who pass through our facility each year on their way to a forever home.
  Upon receiving their Turley Award, Karen Smith said:

  “...We loved raising our family here [in Greenville]. Since I haven’t lived anywhere else, why wouldn’t anyone else love it as much as we do? Enertech, as you heard, is as much our family as our work... I’m proud to say that I’m a part of the Simple Room’s vision for the children of this community. So yes, we provided what we’d hoped is a great place to work at Enertech as well as supplied energy... and we’re able to see a new building vision through for the Simple Room, which makes sense why we were chosen for this distinguished award. We are humbled more than you can ever know to have our names on that list.
  “I do want to encourage each and every one of you to find and think about what you love about this unique community and try to make it better in some way: either by running for school board, county board, church committees, attend the community events that they plan, volunteer – support any of the amazing non-profits here in Greenville. We can do so much more than make a cash donation. Don’t be afraid to ‘stand up, speak up, or show up’ for what’s needed to continue to make Greenville even better.”

[in Photos: (left) Karen and Steve Smith receive their plaque from Chamber President Noel Harnetiaux. (right) Bond County Humane Society board with the Smiths (standing l-r: Rebecca Clausen, Jane Hopkins, Julie Juarez-Heckman, Dennis Hundsdorfer; sitting l-r: a grandchild, Steve Smith, a grandchild, Karen Smith, Rachel Hundsdorfer. Also in attendance for BCHS but not pictured: Mickey Grist-Merrifield.]

  Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) Paws in the Park 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19. “This difficult decision was made out of our concern for the health and safety of our volunteers, participants and vendors,” said BCHS representatives. As many know, Paws in the Park is BCHS’s biggest fund raiser of the year. This cancellation places numerous services BCHS offers at risk. These services include rescue of cats and dogs, animal adoptions, and low cost spay/neuter. “We know many of you look forward to Paws in the Park and its social festival atmosphere,” continued BCHS representatives. “Even though we won’t see you in person this time, we are hoping to raise $4,000 by the end of September to ensure every pet in our care has the best chance for a happy forever life in a loving, forever home. Please consider a gift of what you might generally spend at Paws in the Park: $15 dog contest registration, $8 photo, $5 nail trim, even the $10 lunch.”
  We know many Paws in the Park supporters collect the Paws in the Park T-shirt every year. For 2020, we offer a special treat: a limited edition “Paws Outside the Park” T-shirt featuring unique artwork designed by BCHS volunteers. Sale of the T-shirts will be available as an online fundraiser through Bonfire.com. You will be able to select from several shirt styles and colors. Youth sizes are also available. The T-shirt campaign will start on August 29 and end on September 19, 2020. All shirt orders will be shipped at the end of the T-shirt campaign. BCHS looks forward to seeing all our friends—four legged and two legged—back at Paws in the Park in 2021.
  COVID-19 restrictions have also prohibited BCHS from holding other fundraising events planned for this year. In response to this BCHS is having an on-line fundraiser, “Guess How Many Milk Bones in the Jar.” The person who guesses the correct amount will receive 50% of the money with the other 50% going to BCHS. Monetary donations or items from our Amazon Wish List are always welcome. Please follow BCHS’s Facebook page and website for future fundraisers. While you are there, check out all the furry friends who are ready for adoption now. As always donations to BCHS are tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations. Thank you for your support and understanding.

  It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions have had a profound impact on the human population this spring. However, the virus has also affected a local organization’s capacity for helping certain four-legged members of the community. According to Rachel Hundsdorfer, director of Bond County Humane Society, the organization’s staffing and finances have both taken a hit as a result of the virus.
  Hundsdorfer said that the virus has limited the staffing at the humane society’s headquarters on South Elm Street, which in turn has limited the number of animals that can currently be housed and cared for at the facility. “Some of the people that were helping us have now gone back to their paying jobs,” she explained. “So we did limit ourselves... We didn’t want to have too many (people on-site) and increase the risk, but now they are leaving, some of them, so I’m going to be looking to bring some more in.”
  Hundsdorfer – while vaccinating and weighing a litter of four kittens Thursday afternoon, brought in from the Pocahontas area – said the facility currently houses 27 cats, not including those being fostered elsewhere. “We’ve had as many as 70,” she said, “so we are really low right now.” Hundsdorfer plans to contact some individuals who had previously expressed an interest in volunteering with BCHS but were temporarily turned away due to safety concerns.
  With an uptick in staffing, the organization will be able to take in more cats in the future. In addition, Hundsdorfer said, the facility should begin taking in dogs once again later this month. “We probably won’t take in full capacity, but we’ll start taking some (dogs) in,” she said.
  BCHS may get additional assistance sometime this summer, depending on when the current COVID-19-related restrictions are eased. A number of offenders at the nearby Greenville Federal Correctional Institution women’s camp had been working at the facility prior to the pandemic. “We’ve been told that they are going to be under restriction until at least the end of June,” Hundsdorfer stated.
  Hundsdorfer said that one key way in which people in the community can help the organization is by signing up to foster animals. “We don’t have many foster homes,” she commented. “Other shelters might have 30 or 40 foster homes; we’ve got four or five. So we really need the foster homes... It would help to have them for cats and for dogs.”
  Another noticeable way in which COVID-19 restrictions have affected BCHS is in the organization’s fundraising efforts. Events that would normally add significant amounts of money to the group’s coffers have been scrapped due to social distancing requirements and bans on gatherings of large groups of people. “We’re down $4,000 or $5,000 by now,” said Hundsdorfer. “Typically, we’d have a garage sale by now (and) a ‘road block’ where we [collect cash at intersections]. By not having those, it really hurts.”
  Hundsdorfer reported that the organization has seen both its animal intakes and adoptions decline this year, compared to the same period in 2019. BCHS took in 65 total cats and dogs between January 1 and June 1 of last year and adopted out 67; from January through June of this year, the organization took in just 41 animals and adopted out 57.
  Hundsdorfer said the drop in adoptions isn’t due to a lack of interest. In fact, more people have expressed a desire to adopt recently, she said, likely because they were stuck at home during the COVID-19 “shelter-in-place” order. “People were going nuts. We would put a dog out there [on the internet], and we’d get 20 applications, and that’s really unusual,” she said. “People were home from their jobs. They had thought about getting a dog. They were going to wait and then thought, ‘Well, we’re going to be home, so let’s get one.’”
  Virus-related restrictions left BCHS only able to conduct “curbside adoptions,” in which prospective adopters had to make an appointment and meet the dog outside. “I met them outside. They got to spend time with the dog or puppy in our play area that we have outside; then, if they decided to adopt, they took the dog and a packet of information and left,” Hundsdorfer explained. She noted that people can currently come inside the BCHS facility, on an appointment basis, to meet with a feline they may want to adopt. “We’re not allowing people to come in and just walk through,” said Hundsdorfer. “All of our cats that are available for adoption are online, so (people) can see them beforehand.”
  Currently up in the air is the future of the adoption events that BCHS has previously held at Petco in Fairview Heights, as Hundsdorfer said it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing in the area of the store where the events take place.

Vital Care: Volunteer Christine Vince, left, holds a kitten still as Bond County Humane Society director Rachel Hundsdorfer administers an intra-nasal vaccine.

  The engraved memorial and honor bricks which Bond County Humane Society donors have been purchasing since 2016 are finally laid in their permanent home, a specially landscaped plaza on the northwest side of our Shelter Office, Adoption Center, and Cat Shelter. There are fifty-one (51) specially personalized tribute bricks in the initial installation.
  Opperman Hardscape, a patio design company from Nokomis, Illinois, submitted the innovative sketch in February and completed the installation of border stones, memorial and filler bricks, fountain centerpiece, landscaping stones, and variety of plants the week of March 9, 2020. As previously announced, Greenville Garden Club covered the cost of the stone pillar water fountain.
  Your tribute bricks have already been helping pets at BCHS: purchasing food, medicine, and other shelter supplies. And over the years to come, there remains great potential for expansion to the memorial garden project.
  It’s time to visit your brick(s)! Bring your family and friends to help find your special tribute and view all the other great contributions to our Memorial Brick Garden plaza by our pet-loving community. BCHS is currently planning a formal open house event to show off the installed bricks and thank the donors once again.
  Don’t have a brick yet? Add your own brick(s) to the design! Order online or pick up a brochure at our office.

  Ready for an update on all of our recent Shelter Improvements? 🐾🏡 Wanna sign up as a new dog shelter volunteer?
  Garage Door Opener installed by Durbin’s Seamless of Vandalia. It’s already proved well worth the investment; reducing so many staff headaches!
  Dog Shelter Floors resealed by EVCO National of Wood River. For the first time since the dog shelter wing opened in 2012, the floors are excellently protected from damage, scratches, and stains. Twice daily cleaning is far easier again.
  Trench Grates in Dog Shelter refurbished by Powder Plus of Greenville. These floor drainage system necessities are “better than new” after sandblasting and a powder coat of specialty paint!
  Rust-oleum touch ups on additional surfaces needing paint. New polyurethane caulking applied.
  New Utility Sink for the Dog Shelter with a more user-friendly faucet.
  Cables restrung on guillotine doors. The cables and pulleys operate the dog panel between indoor and outdoor spaces without volunteers needing to enter the kennel run. High usage had begun to wear out and twist the cables installed in 2012.
  New Sound System installed for our existing MP3 Player loaded with dog-specific playlists. Isn’t it neat that we sooth our pups with calming music while they wait for the next Care, Clean & Feed shift?
  See if you have what it takes to work in our Dog Shelter. Apply to Volunteer as an individual or family!

The Greenville Advocate, Page 1, continued on Page 10 — Story and Photos by Emily Lucia-Rose

Bond County Humane Society hosted its annual Paws in the Park on Saturday. The event welcomed pet owners and their pets to Patriot’s Park where they enjoyed contests, a costume parade, vendors, and more.
  “We have the SAR K-9 Rescue Unit here to do demonstrations,” said humane society director Rachel Hundsdorfer. “At 2:30 p.m. we (did) something new. We had a Tennis Ball Drop.”
  Guests could purchase tennis balls, each labeled with a number, and at 2:30 p.m., two members of the humane society [volunteer] staff were raised above the crowd in a cherry picker bucket, provided by a local tree service company, to drop the tennis balls.
  “A dog was sent to get three tennis balls,” Hundsdorfer explained. “The person with the first tennis ball wins 25 percent of the money collected from the tennis ball drop [sales], the person with the second ball wins 15 percent, and the person with the third wins 10 percent. [Our] society gets the other 50 percent.”
  In the ring, dogs participated in the fastest fetch competition and best trick competition, among others.
  The winners for each contest are as follows:
Costume Contest in the Pet Parade:

• 1st: Isabella (dressed as a lion), shown by Shyla Wratchford
• 2nd: Ivy (dressed as a dancer), shown by Corey Carsrud
• 3rd: Watson (dressed as a UPS delivery dog), shown by Dale Shelburne
• 4th: Maverick (dressed as Beetlejuice), shown by Savannah Helige

Fastest Fetch:

• 1st: Dexter, shown by Hope Zidek
• 2nd: Chika, shown by Marc Seale
• 2nd: Vaeda, shown by Brian and Candy Busch
• 3rd: Isaac, shown by Amy Hemann
• 4th: Dixie, shown by Cassandra Mollett
• 4th: Leo, shown by Alexis Bourgeois

Best Kisser:

• 1st: Stanley, shown by Cheyenne Fifer
• 2nd: Rose, shown by Shannon Niehaus
• 3rd: Leroy, shown by Allison Bourgeois
• 4th: Niko, shown by Brianna Hayes

Best Trick:

• 1st: Chesney, shown by Chelsea Ballinger
• 2nd: Molly, shown by Jessica Bumgardner
• 3rd: Belle, shown by Emma Tally

Most Sits in 1 Minute:

• 1st: Leo, shown by Alexis Bourgeois
• 2nd: Chesney, shown by Chelsea Ballinger
• 3rd: Stanley, shown by Cheyenna Fifer
• 4th: Isaac, shown by Amy Hemann

Longest Down:

• 1st: Chesney, shown by Chelsea Ballinger
• 2nd: Belle, shown by Emma Tally
• 3rd: War, shown by Donovan Dey
• 4th: Bella, shown by Angelique Wood

Prettiest Petite Pure or Mix Breed:

• 1st, Ella May, shown by Brayden Nordike
• 2nd: Rose, shown by Shannon Niehaus
• 3rd: Stanley, shown by Cheyenne Fifer
• 4th: Maggie, shown by Crystal Lovsey

Prettiest Small Pure Breed:

• 1st: Rhea, shown by Caitlin Blagg
• 2nd: Ben, shown by Teresa Bourgeois
• 3rd: Ellie, shown by Crystal Holmes
• 4th: Maverick, shown by Savannah Helige

Prettiest Medium Pure Breed:

• 1st: Chika, shown by Marc Seale
• 2nd: Leo, shown by Alexis Bourgeois
• 3rd: Harper, shown by Grace Sperandio
• 4th: Watson, shown by Dale Shelburne

Prettiest Large Pure Breed:

• 1st: War, shown by Donovan Dey
• 2nd: Ivy, shown by Tara Carsrud
• 3rd: Tiberius, shown by Stephanie Boyce
• 4th: Chesney, shown by Chelsea Ballinger

Prettiest Small Mix Breed:

• 1st: Tom, shown by Peyton Schoen
• 2nd: Angus, shown by Vanessa Kay Gross
• 3rd: Jasper, shown by Vanessa Kay Gross
• 4th: Santana, shown by Noah Sheridan
• 4th: Leroy, shown by Alison Bourgeois Lurkins

Prettiest Medium Mix Breed:

• 1st: Lilly, shown by Anastasia Baird
• 2nd: Hazel, shown by Mary Holt
• 3rd: Durley, shown by Michael Gouge
• 3rd: Lilly, shown by Michael Gouge

Prettiest Large Mix Breed:

• 1st: Dixie, shown by Cassandra Mollett
• 2nd: Vaeda, shown by Bryan Busch
• 3rd: Kiyoko, shown by Jennifer Baird
• 4th: Journey, shown by Louise Weiss

Musical Hoops:

• 1st: Ellie, shown by Crystal Holmes
• 1st: Harper, shown by Grace Sperandio
• 2nd: Stanley, shown by Cheyenne Fifer
• 3rd: Lilly, shown by Anastaisia Baird
• 4th: Kiyoko, shown by Jennifer Baird

Cutest Pet Photo (contest not originally published with Advocate story):

• 1st: Miracle, 3-legged orange Tabby shorthaired cat, submitted by KayAnna Warthen
• 2nd: Star, black longhaired cat, submitted by KayAnna Warthen
• 3rd: E’Clair, 3-legged and nerve-damaged white and orange Tabby shorthaired cat, submitted by KayAnna Warthen
• 4th: Harley, white and buff longhaired cat, submitted by Barb Dothage

  The winners of the Tennis Ball Drop were Cindy Moser (first[, and she donated her winnings back to BCHS!]), Missie File (second), and Vickie Hall (third).
  As the weather remained cool, the event drew plenty of animal lovers throughout the day. “It looks like we have a good attendance,” Hundsdorfer said.
  For more information about Bond County Humane Society or to volunteer, call 618-664-4068.

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 1, continued on Page 10 — Story and Photos by Emily Lucia-Rose

On Wednesday morning, 129 students from Greenville High School stepped forward to help their community through the annual Give Back Day.
  The students were broken up into groups and dropped off at eight different sites. Some groups started on streets including Willard Street and Idler Lane and made their way through Greenville, picking up sticks, leaves, trash, or any other debris-type item.
  A group of five students were dropped off at Bond County Humane Society where they started their day off by walking some dogs. “They’re learning how to properly walk a dog,” said BCHS director Rachel Hundsdorfer. “We walk the dogs twice a day to teach the dogs walking manners to prepare them for when they get adopted.”
  Students at the Bond County Fairgrounds picked up sticks and raked gumballs, among other tasks. “We’re just taking care of what the fair board said needed to be done,” said GHS teacher Jason Pierce. “They told us that this really helps out when it’s time to mow.”
  At Montrose Cemetery, students also picked up sticks and other natural debris. With the help from City of Greenville maintenance crews, the students were able to load the sticks, leaves, gumballs, and whatever else they found onto the back of one of the work trucks.
  At Durley Camp, 23 students aided in repainting cabins, staining benches, stacking firewood and picked up sticks as well as several other tasks.
  Seniors Hunter Matthews and Jackie Forys have volunteered to participate in Give Back Day all four years of their high school careers. Matthews stated that his favorite part of the day was being able to get out into the community to help clean it up. Forys agreed, saying that it was also a great time to work alongside her classmates and make memories that would stay with them for a lifetime.
  After participating in Give Back Day every year, they learn more as the event gets bigger. “Usually, every year trumps the year before,” Matthews said. Even the community’s ties to Give Back Day have increased. “Each year, the community gets more involved,” Matthews said. “We’ve added several different locations this year.”
  Each student’s experience is unique as well, teaching the students that a little action can make an impact. Forys added, “You take away something different from the experience every year.” Matthews continued, “Picking up something as little as a stick only takes a few minutes, but could make a difference.”

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[in Photos: Comets Give Back Day (left) Walking Shelter Dogs (photo by Advocate); (right) Touring Cat Community Rooms (photo by WGEL)]

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$800 “Senior Pet Grant” from Petfinder Foundation Will Go Towards Her Adoption Fee & the Cost of Her Current Medication Treatment Plan for One Year!

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February 2018

Leave a Legacy... Consider a Naming Opportunity

June 22, 2016 marked our official groundbreaking for the new Cat Shelter Office Building attached to our Dog Shelter at 2510 South Elm Street, Greenville, Illinois. Construction and equipment procurement have been underway since. Our goal is to move into our new home before June 1, 2018. Please help in our RACE TO THE FINISH!
  Bond County Humane Society is honored to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to our Cat Shelter & Office Building project. Donors may honor beloved pets and pet lovers or show their own support for BCHS’s work at our new Cat Shelter, Business Office and Adoption Center. The number of naming opportunities is limited and they are subject to confirmation. The following list will give you an idea of some of the naming opportunities available to you. Naming or general Capital Campaign donations can be mailed to 2510 S. Elm Street, Greenville, IL 62246. Your donation is tax deductible.
  To discuss the specifics of your naming opportunity or for questions or more details concerning the campaign, please contact Rachel Hundsdorfer at bchs4pets@sbcglobal.net or at 618-664-4068.

• Name the Shelter: Committed
• Dog Shelter Wing: Committed
• Fenced Play Yard   $2500
• Meet & Greet (Get Acquainted) Room   $1000
• Cat Community Room #1   $2500
• Cat Community Room #2   $2500
• Cat Community Room #3   $2500
• Cat Isolation Room   $2500
• Conference Room   $1000
• Tribute Brick Program (unlimited)
• 4”x8”   $75 each
• 8”x8”   $150 each

• Buy Your Brick Today

Dennis and Rachel Hundsdorfer met this fall with Steve Korte of K-Five Contracting to plan the next phase of construction work on BCHS’s new Cat Shelter / Office Building at 2510 South Elm Street in Greenville. Contractors will finish the electrical installation to bring power to the new building wing, and Ernst Heating & Cooling will finish hooking up the geothermal HVAC system so there can be heat in the building. Then workers will begin taping and mudding the interior walls, and painting can be done. We just chose the color schemes for the rooms this week and an awesome artist we know will be painting some canvases as well!

With the latest bequests and donations to the building fund, we still need at least $11,000 in order to move into our new facility... CONSIDER A GIFT TODAY! Naming Opportunities still available for donations of $1000 or higher. Contact us to discuss your options!

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Cat Shelter exterior, October 2016

Our new cat shelter on South Elm Street in Greenville, Illinois is really coming along! Thanks to the efforts of Bond County Humane Society’s governing board, several grants and private donors, and the services of K-Five Contracting of Pocahontas, Belleville Supply Company, and Slatton Excavating, the building’s concrete floor is poured, sub-floor plumbing is installed, the exterior walls are raised, insulated windows and doors are framed in, and the roof is trussed and shingled. Enertech (our neighbor to the east) installed a geothermal underground loop system for our future divided HVAC system. Additional excavating was done re-grading the rear drainage area and extending the front driveway and parking area. Plus a few more anonymous donors and work entities have contributed greatly to what you can see (and can’t quite see) at our shelter site. And we can’t ever thank everyone enough. But we’re not done yet! The cat shelter and office wing on the South Elm Street property remains an empty, unusable shell of a building until we acquire more money!

With $61,881 left to raise in our Capital Campaign (December 2016 estimate), our new Cat Shelter and Business Office needs your help! If each of our 1600 Facebook followers gave just $38.67, we’d have it!! Won’t you donate online or offline today? If enough of you do contribute right away, our construction company can get busy this winter working inside the building shell: framing up studded walls, roughing in electrical wiring and above-floor plumbing, placing insulation, and installing HVAC ductwork and related pieces. We want to move in as soon as possible, improving care for cats waiting for a home and administering other animal welfare efforts, so please help with a donation and please spread the word! We have saved over 1,500 animals since we started in 2003!

Opportunities remain to name a particular room or other feature of the new building at the $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000 donation levels!

You or your business can also purchase a personalized fundraising brick paver at the $75 or $150 level, etching your name, that of a loved one, or special pet, into history. The bricks will be placed in a plaza near the entrance of the new shelter.

Take action today and send a check (memo: capital campaign) for any amount, or pledge labor/materials for our interior phase.

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By Emily Lucia — The Greenville Advocate, Page 1

Bond County Humane Society broke ground last Wednesday for its new cat shelter. The shelter will be located on land near its current dog shelter along South Elm Street.

In February, BCHS received a grant from the Petco Foundation, worth $60,000. While they had set a goal of $110,000 for the cat shelter project, the humane society has yet to reach that goal. “We have enough funding to complete the hollow shell structure of the building, but not for the interior structure,” said Dennis Hundsdorfer, a vice president of BCHS.

While they are building, the humane society will continue to look for grants and ask for donations in order to raise funds to complete the inside of the new shelter. “We may look for volunteer help when the building is completed,” said Hundsdorfer.

At this time, he is unsure when the building, inside and out, will be completed. In the meantime, the cats will stay in their current shelter on Fourth Street until BCHS receives additional funding to finish the inside of the new shelter.

By Bill Walker — The Greenville Advocate, Page 1, continued on Page 5

On February 3, Bond County Humane Society received good news as it was informed it would be the recipient of a $60,000 grant from the Petco Foundation, an amount which will go a long way toward the construction of a new cat shelter and office building on South Elm Street, but it’s not enough to complete the entire project.

BCHS has set a capital campaign goal of $110,000 and is in dire need for the group’s effort that resulted in the rescuing of 162 dogs and cats in 2015. At any given time, BCHS’s cramped space at its cat shelter on Fourth Street is overwhelmed. A new shelter, which would be combined with the current location of the dog shelter, would eliminate that problem.

Despite not reaching the total needed for the cost of the building, the humane society is going ahead with the project in a need to use the money it received through the grant.

On June 22, Bond County Humane Society will break ground on the cat shelter on land near its dog shelter located near Route 40.

“We’re in kind of a crunch situation to do this project,” said the humane society’s director, Rachel Hundsdorfer. According to Hundsdorfer, the project will begin soon after the groundbreaking as the foundation and the exterior will be constructed to use the funds provided by the Petco Foundation. That portion of the project is tentatively expected to be completed by September of this year. The rest of the project’s completion will await funding. “It looks like we’ll have to piece it together,” Hundsdorfer said.

The group’s goal with the completion of the first phase of the project would be to get enough of the inside of the building finished to allow the humane society to move its office and cat shelter space into the building. “If we could do that,” Hundsdorfer said, “we’d be thrilled to death.”

Currently, BCHS operates two separate shelters, requiring the staffing of two groups of volunteers, a task that is overwhelming for a group that relies heavily on them for its work. The completion of the cat shelter would allow for much more convenience.

Funding for the project, however, has been hard to come by which makes the Petco Foundation grant a welcome gift for BCHS. In July of 2015, the humane society learned a grant it had been awarded by the State of Illinois to be used toward the construction of a new shelter, totaling $75,000, was suspended. In the midst of the budget impasse, the state originally suspended the money, but has since released $18,000 of the total. In addition, the group has received a grant from Nestle Purina totaling $10,000 and another $5,000 in donations for the project.

All told, including the Petco Foundation grant, BCHS states it is still in need of nearly $50,000 to complete the project. In addition to rescuing 162 dogs and cats last year, BCHS spayed or neutered 441 animals, 232 of which were part of the Trap, Neuter and Release Program that catches feral/free-roaming cats.

Donate to the Capital Campaign online today.

Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) today announced it has been awarded a $60,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support construction of a new cat shelter/office building on South Elm St. in Greenville.

  BCHS is a volunteer/nonprofit organization established in 2003 to provide temporary sanctuary for unwanted, lost and neglected animals to be placed into loving and responsible homes. In 2015 BCHS rescued 162 dogs and cats. In addition, 441 animals were spayed or neutered (this total includes all adoptable BCHS shelter animals, 232 feral/free-roaming cats through Trap, Neuter, & Release Program, 24 companion cats and 23 companion dogs).

  This Petco Foundation grant award, and other funds already received through the www.YouCaring.com crowd-sourced fundraising site, have been applied towards the BCHS Capital Campaign goal of $110,000. This currently leaves a balance of $49,660 still required to complete the funding goal for the new cat shelter/office building. This new facility will be located next to the existing BCHS dog shelter and will be a major improvement to BCHS operations resulting in reduced operational expenses, better volunteer coordination, and the ability to help more animals in need.

  “We appreciate the confidence and trust Petco Foundation has shown our organization in the past, and now through its investment in this project. It is rewarding to be recognized for the lifesaving work we do for the benefit of the animals. BCHS is funded by private supporters through donations, fundraisers, and grants like this one from the Petco Foundation.” said Rachel Hundsdorfer, BCHS President.

  For more information about the Petco Foundation visit www.petcofoundation.org or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #PetcoFoundation.

About Bond County Humane Society
  BCHS has been in operation for more than 13 years providing temporary housing and care for homeless cats and dogs until permanent loving homes can be found. Since its beginning, BCHS has adopted out almost 2,000 cats and dogs that are now enjoying loving homes from California to New York. Prior to being made available for adoption, all animals are spayed or neutered, are up-to-date on vaccinations, have been treated for internal and external parasites, have been micro chipped, dogs are tested for heartworm disease, and cats are tested for FeLV/FIV. BCHS provides its rescued animals with vet care for various health conditions, i.e., heartworm disease, urinary tract infections, amputations, eye removals, etc. to make them healthy and ready for adoption. BCHS also assists in the rescue and transport of protected wildlife, and has helped return missing companion animals to their rightful owners. BCHS provides low cost spay/neuter programs through local veterinarians and a Spay/Neuter Clinic in Springfield, IL.
  These programs have been cost effective and successful in the spaying and neutering of companion animals as well as feral/ free roaming cats. BCHS has also conducted classroom training for local students focusing on companion animal needs and proper care. BCHS is a no kill volunteer based private shelter that is not affiliated with any other animal welfare organization.

About the Petco Foundation
  At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $135 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. Working with thousands of animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First© program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 4.2 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

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Dear Editor,

The Bond County Humane Society staff regularly fields questions about its affiliation with national groups such as the Humane Society of the United States. Many supporters are under the impression that donations to national organizations will somehow filter down to their local shelter. However, that is not the case.

Despite the title “humane society,” supporting the national humane society does NOT benefit your local humane society. Bond County Humane Society is an independent non-profit organization not under the sponsorship of the Humane Society of the United States, which does not operate spay/neuter programs or take in stray, abused or neglected cats and dogs. Dollars sent to the Humane Society of the United States do NOT come to Bond County Humane Society!

Bond County Humane Society is a shelter that takes in many local cats and dogs annually without the use of tax funding, and depends upon volunteers, donations, fundraisers and some private grants to continue its operation. Every rescued animal is evaluated and as long as it is not suffering from severe illness or does not have serious problems such as significant aggression precluding it from making a safe family pet, it is ultimately made available for adoption. Every rescued animal receives a full complement of support including spaying/neutering, vaccinations, parasite treatment and a microchip, all included in the adoption fee. Bond County Humane Society places no time limits on how long an animal can remain at the shelter before being adopted.

Bond County Humane Society wishes to thank all those individuals and businesses who have generously donated their time, talent and support to care for the homeless pets of Bond County.

Dennis P. Hundsdorfer
V.P. Bond County Humane Society
Greenville, IL

The Greenville Advocate, Page 4

Dear Editor,

I would like to give a shout out to our Bond County Humane Society for its efforts to maintain and promote the humane and ethical treatment of animals in our area.

Many of you may not be aware of the many services provided through our local shelter. Though they have limited space, they receive numerous unwanted animals each year, providing for all of their needs including medical care.

Some of the animals are fostered in private homes to further accomodate the many animals that come their way. Shelter staff members and volunteers travel to PetSmart and Petco every Saturday in an effort to help the pets find homes.

They also maintain a website to help connect pets to those who are looking. In addition to sheltering animals, they also subsidize the costs associated with spaying and neutering pets. You can pick up a voucher to use at the local vet.

They also have a program for the castration of feral cats in the county. Once a month, they transport cats to another city so they can be spayed or neutered for a very small fee. The use of this program will certainly make a major impact on the number of cats that continue to reproduce year after year.

Many people may not realize that our shelter is a top notch facility and operates solely on donations and volunteerism. I really enjoy the time I spend working at our cat shelter and I encourage each of you to consider becoming a part of the BCHS team.

Stop by and get on the schedule. They are always in need of help, whether it be keeping the facilities sanitized, animal grooming, dog walking, fostering, or making a monetary donation.

Liz Miller
Mulberry Grove, IL

Good things have been happening for Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) including the delivery of a new vehicle.
  Last May, the humane society submitted a grant request to the Petco Foundation for a new transport vehicle. It was needed to safely and efficiently expand and meet increasing transportation needs.
  The grant was received by the society. An order was placed for the new van at the end of August and it was received last month.
  The van has been placed in service to begin helping animals. It is being used to transport free roaming/feral cats to and from a specialized spay/neuter clinic 75 miles away, transport BCHS shelter animals to and from adoption partner locations to participate in adoption events, transport rescued animals locally for spay/neuter surgery and/or other medical treatment, transport injured or rescued animals protected under wildlife laws to appropriately licensed clinics for treatment and rehabilitation, provide transportation assistance during disaster recovery rescue operations, assist with shelter-to-shelter animal relocation transports, and tranport equipment and supplies to and from numerous community programs, fundraising activities and BCHS facility projects and maintenance.
  To be considered for the Petco Foundation grant, the society had to demonstrate its mission to raise the quality of life for pets and people who live and need them. The four requirements were to create responsible pet owners, reduce the number of animals euthanized, rescue animals in crisis, and rehabilitate behavioral issues in pets.
  The grant funds not only were enough to purchase a new 2013 van, but also provide operational expenses for the first year.

[in Photo: New Humane Society Vehicle: Rachel and Dennis Hundsdorfer (left), from Bond County Humane Society, pick up a new van for use by the society. It was delivered to the Steve Schmitt Auto Group in Highland and purchased through a grant received from the Petco Foundation. Representing the car dealer is Adam Hanebrink (right)]

BCHS Speaks To BCMW Headstart Kids

Bond County Humane Society representatives recently met with children at the BCMW Headstart Program in Greenville. The boys and girls were given the opportunity to get up-close and personal with animals.
  Rachel Hundsdorfer, from the society, conducted the session. She brought with her Ritz the kitty and two puppies, Nonnie and Lizzy. The program was a success as the youngsters enjoyed the visitors.

Buchheit Drive raises $700 for BCHS

The Buchheit store in Greenville recently held a month-long fundraiser to benefit the shelter animals at BCHS. When checking out at the store, Buchheit customers were asked to make donations for the program called “Pounds for Paws.”
  A total of $700 was raised for the purchase of food for the shelter animals. Rachel and Dennis Hundsdorfer said the money will go a long way toward maintaining the food supply at both shelter locations in Greenville.

Truck Donated to BCHS raises $1.5k

The humane society has also been aided with a donation from Joe and Caryl Culumber.
  The Culumbers moved out of state, but not before donating a 1989 Ford Ranger pickup truck to the society. Minor repairs were made to the vehicle and the truck was detailed and then displayed for sale.
  The truck sold for $1,500 and the desperately needed money is being used to cover general operating expenses such as veterinarian bills and medical expenses.

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Her passion for writing and love of dogs led to Sindy Smith of Belleville making an appearance at Bond County Humane Society’s Paws in the Park on Saturday.
  Smith, who began writing children’s stories over 10 years ago and has written seven children’s books since 2010, said she visited the event due to her love of animals. She was accompanied at Patriot’s Park by two of the dogs owned by she and her husband, Kevin, who also attended.
  The Belleville resident also decided to help the humane society, donating a portion of the sales of her books to the organization.
 Her first children’s book was “Little Lucy Lou,” published in 2010. The next year, she wrote “Dadu the Dolphin” and “Mr. Mikno.” This year has been a busy one for Smith, as she has released “Thirteen Ghostly Encounters at Wirsing Manor,” “Indy the Unicorn Prince,” “Charlie the Chipmunk and the Lost Goldmine,” and “Rosie the Rottweiler.” Smith also provides the colorful illustrations in her books. The author stated, “It is my hope that your child will enjoy them, and that they will feel happy, safe and full of wonder as they read these enchanting little stories.”
  Wirsing Manor, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located in the Old Belleville Historic District. It was the setting for “Little Lucy Lou.” Smith said many believe the old 1845 14-room home is haunted. That led to her writing “Thirteen Ghostly Encounters at Wirsing Manor.”
  Most of Smith’s books are about animals. Her daughter, Lindsay, is a character in several of the books. Smith said her books have strong moral messages of hope, the meaning of friendship and inspiration for children. More information about Smith and her books can be obtained online at IllinoisAuthors.com.

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Business was the focus Tuesday morning as the Greenville Chamber of Commerce held its annual New Faces & New Places program. Approximately 55 individuals, representing businesses that are chamber members, attended the event. At the present time there are 87 Chamber of Commerce members with some renewels still outstanding. John Goldsmith, Chamber of Commerce director, reported that since September of 2011 there have been 19 new businesses that have joined the organization.
  He indicated that the New Faces & Places breakfast was the first in a series of quarterly breakfast programs the Chamber will sponsor. “The Chamber is on the move... and forward is the only direction to go,” he told the group. Over the last few months, in an effort to offer more value and networking opportunities to our membership, we have brought back the monthly ‘Business After Hours’ programs,” Goldsmith reported.
  The organization has introduced a weekly e-mail newsletter and continues to coordinate ribbon cuttings. Goldsmith indicated there are eight nominees for this year’s Gerald Turley Memorial Award, which will be presented at a reception this spring. The director said the Chamber of Commerce wants to be more visible in the community. “Our goal is to make the Chamber an exciting, fun organization. We want Chamber membership to not be an option, but a must, something that members take pride in and look forward to participating in.” Goldsmith concluded, “During these tough economic times, Greenville has not only survived, but thrived. There are many wonderful things in the works.”
  Several individuals spoke during the event.
  Dennis Hundsdorfer, representing Bond County Humane Society, advised that since the organization was created in 2003, about 4,000 animals have been rescued in the county. He indicated that a new building, to house dogs, has been completed on property at the south end of Elm Street near Interstate 70. At the present time there are 17 dogs in the facility. Cats are kept by the society in the building located next to the Bond County Highway Department headquarters. Hundsdorfer said the organization emphasizes the need for animal population control. He noted that the society operates on fundraisers and donations.

Bond County Humane Society spent the heart of 2011 designing and building an addition to our new storage building: a structure to house dogs. The construction of a new dog shelter building is an important, real, second step in our permanent animal shelter site complex on South Elm Street in Greenville. This custom designed shelter addition is larger in space and better equipped than our former dog kennels that we were renting. The new facility includes an isolation room, grooming area, food preparation area, restroom for humans, seven canine pens and indoor/ outdoor runs - all of which will be incorporated into BCHS’s larger building plans in the future.
  Our new dog facility is REMARKABLE. We are extremely proud considering how much quality in design and materials we extracted from our limited non-profit, privately funded budget. The unassuming dog shelter addition may not look like much from several hundred yards away, but let us assure you that the building features state of the art functionality and comfort for the dogs in BCHS care and for their volunteer caregivers.
  This was a large project for us and it required a lot of support, coordination and hard work to make it happen but it was worth it. Without the generous donations of materials and work donated by several key people and businesses this project would not have been possible. We want to give our heartfelt thanks to the following businesses and people for their major support: Belleville Supply Company of Belleville, IL (Mike and Cindy Lotz); Mideastern Plumbing of Carlyle, IL (Dennis Rudolphi); Slatton Excavating of Greenville, IL (Ken Slatton). We also appreciate the discounted materials and/or services provided by several local businesses. We also want to thank Beth and Dave Martin (and their pooch Molly) of Ellisville, MO for working three days installing all of the chain link kennels, doors and outside runs.
  If you want to pledge or donate to the Building Fund please contact BCHS at (618) 664-4068 or visit our Donation Page here on the website to find out about transferring monies by bank check, bequest, or assets via our financial investments adviser at Edward Jones. We also welcome pledges of labor and materials from experienced engineering, contracting and subcontracting companies or individuals.
  You can also donate money to help us pay for utilities and pet supplies at the new dog shelter! We are also looking for new volunteers to help walk dogs in the mornings and evenings, clean pens, feed and train the dogs and puppies! Please call now!

[in Photos: Phase Two Construction - Dog Shelter Addition (left: Winter 2012, right: Summer 2012 - We’ve been able to add gutters and start planting trees and re-seed the lawn.]

Enjoy this slideshow of the Dog Shelter Building Construction Progress. (It is a 1.4MB GIF Animation)

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With no facility in which to keep dogs, Bond County Humane Society is expanding its building in Greenville.
  Construction of the addition to the society’s storage building, located on South Elm Street, has begun. Rachel Hundsdorfer, [acting] president of the organization, said it is hoped the new facility can be used in about a month.
  The humane society is in a tough situation at this time with nowhere to keep dogs. The group received word at the end of July that the building it had been leasing for several years was being sold. The society had to vacate that location, finding foster homes for the dogs it was holding. Hundsdorfer reported that at this time the society cannot accept dogs because it has nowhere to place them.
  With no facility available for dogs, the humane society’s membership decided to construct the addition to the storage building, which was completed earlier this year. “This is a reponse to an immediate need,” Hundsdorfer commented. She reported that donations of materials and labor have been received for the project. Financial donations are also being accepted.
  The addition will be strictly for dogs. There will be seven inside/outside covered dog runs plus an isolation room, a bathing area and a bathroom.
  The number of dogs the facility will be able to house depends on the size of the dogs, Hundsdorfer commented. She said that the addition will consist of the bare minimum for such a facility, but it will be larger than what was previously being used. The humane society [acting] president said the storage building and dog facility do not replace the plans for the eventual construction of an animal shelter on the same property.
  Anyone wishing to assist the society can call 664-4068.

Bond County Humane Society will soon have nowhere to keep dogs.
  Rachel Hundsdorfer, [acting] president of the society, reported that the organization has received notice that it must be out of the facility it has been renting by the end of the month. That building, located in Greenville, has been in use for the past five years.
  According to Hundsdorfer, there are currently five dogs at the facility. She said the society needs a place to eventually take the dogs if they are not adopted.
  Hundsdorfer noted that the society is attempting to come up with the money to construct a small kennel building at the property the group owns at the south end of Elm Street, near Interstate 70. That property has a storage building owned by the society.
  Anyone who would like to assist the society in donating services and materials can contact Hundsdorfer at 664-4068. The group is attempting to come up with the money to put up a building of about 700 square feet.
  She added that help will be needed at the end of the month to dismantle items in the current kennel building and move them to the storage structure. Anyone interested in adopting one of the five dogs can call the same telephone number.
  The humane society keeps cats in the building formerly used by the Bond County Highway Department as a headquarters. The organization has as many cats as it can take care of at this time.
  Eventually, the humane society would like to construct a large building at the property of South Elm Street, to house its entire operation.

Our “Future Site of Bond County Humane Society” sign at our South Elm Street property became a casualty of the February 2011 wind storms, but we have every intention to build a replacement sign. If you are able to donate vinyl, metal, or wood (or other sign material), or are able to help build the new sign, please contact us.
  Construction of our new storage building on the South Elm Street property was started in March 2011 and completed in May. The culvert was furnished and installed by the City of Greenville. Equipment and work was donated by Plunkett Services of Greenville for excavation of the building site and for the addition of the new driveway. Greenville Lumber and Landscape and Hometown Builders did an excellent job constructing the building. The building is a 24’x48’ pole-barn type design with service and vehicle entry doors and a concrete floor. The building is being used to store BCHS property including the BCHS van, crates, kennels, furniture, and other equipment previously scattered at many locations. It is also used to prepare and load the van for Saturday adoption events at Petco and PetSmart, and to prepare for monthly Spay/Neuter transports to APL in Springfield. Yes, we have purchased wind storm insurance for this storage building!
  This new building is in no way the type of structure suitable for housing live animals or a business office but we consider this project to be our Phase One Construction on the Elm Street property and we can all feel proud of the progress we have worked so hard to make happen. A special thanks again to those who so generously donated land and funds. BCHS is serious about raising additional funding for and interest in the future BCHS Animal Shelter facility which will be constructed to the west of the storage building. The plans and specifications for the new shelter building have already been completed and can be viewed at the BCHS Office on South Fourth Street in Greenville, Illinois.
  If you want to pledge or donate to the Building Fund please contact BCHS at (618) 664-4068 or visit our Donation Page here on the website to find out about transferring monies by bank check, bequest, or assets via our financial investments adviser at Edward Jones. We also welcome pledges of labor and materials from experienced engineering, contracting and subcontracting companies or individuals.

Enjoy this slideshow of the Storage Building Construction Progress. (It is a 2.5MB GIF Animation)

Bond County Humane Society has taken a big step by completing its first building. The storage structure is located on South Elm Street, between Enertech and the Greenville wastewater treatment plant. Dennis Hundsdorfer, from the humane society, said the building is 24 feet by 48 feet in size.
  Society members hope that a new animal shelter is not far away from being built. Funds are still being sought. According to Hundsdorfer, the society is continuing to search for grant possibilities, but they are getting more and more difficult to find.
  The storage building is important for the humane society because there are many items that have been donated to it which now can be placed in one central location. Each weekend, the society’s van is pulled up to the building and loaded with items for the pet adoption trips to Fairview Heights or Edwardsville.
  Hundsdorfer said he looks at the storage building as Phase I of a construction plan the humane society has. The group now has a building that allows it to accept donations and store them in a safe location.
  At the present time, the humane society keeps cats in a county-owned facility along Fourth Street in Greenville, and dogs are kept at another location in the southwest part of the city. “It would be better for everything if we had a shelter,” Hundsdorfer commented. “We could take care of more animals.”
  Plans for a 5,300 square foot, steel-constructed shelter have been developed. It would allow the society to keep dogs and cats, and would also accomodate offices, meeting rooms, an adoption center, and food preparation and storage areas. A shelter would be constructed just west of the storage building.
  There’s no way to know when it would become a reality due to the financial situation. “We have some promises to help with the building, but it’s still expensive,” Hundsdorfer commented.
  In addition to taking care of the cats and dogs at the local facilities, Bond County Humane Society also reaches out to find good homes for the animals. Each Saturday of the month, humane society representatives take dogs and cats to Petco in Fairview Heights or PetSmart in Edwardsville. Individuals have the opportunity to adopt pets. Hundsdorfer said there are days when they return to Greenville with the same pets, however, last week two animals were adopted. Adoptions can also be initiated over the humane society’s website at bondcohs.petfinder.com.
  Bond County Humane Society is always looking for additional persons to help volunteer at the current facilities. They can call 664-4068.

The Greenville Advocate, Page 13

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The second annual Bond County Humane Society Boosters will present its “Puttin’ On The Ritz For Fritz” show on May 20.
  It will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville. The event will feature a candlelight lasagna dinner and group, duet and solo vocal performances by students from Greenville High School and Mater Dei High School in Breese.
  Featured soloists will include Whitney Utlaut, one of the lead performers in the recent Greenville High School production of “Annie,” and Katie Casas, who has sung background vocals with Gloria Estefan’s Miami Sound Machine. The select choir choral group from Greenville High School will perform several selections.
  The event is a dressy affair, as it was last year, with the goal of raising money for the new Bond County Humane Society [Animal] Shelter. Ticket prices are the same as last year, $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. The deadline to obtain tickets is May 13. They are available at Watson’s Drug Store, Bradford National Bank, and the Humane Society office at 1402 South Fourth Street in Greenville. Last year’s event was a sell-out.

By Hoss Dossett — The Papyrus, Greenville College Student Newspaper, Page 2

According to the Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) website, about 70,000 puppies and kittens are born throughout the country each day. However, there are only about 10,000 humans born and because of this huge imbalance, about 6 million of those puppies and kittens are put to sleep each year. For that reason, BCHS has been making an effort to save and care for as many of those animals as possible. As they state on their website, BCHS “exists to provide temporary sanctuary for unwanted, lost, and neglected animals for ultimate placement in loving and responsible homes.”

As a nonprofit charitable organization, BCHS gladly accepts volunteers — in fact, without volunteers the organization would fall apart. It is not funded by the state; instead, it relies on donations and grants. Conveniently located here in Greenville at 1403 South Fourth Street, it is the perfect place for students who have a heart for animals to volunteer. While there are certain criteria that must be met in order to volunteer, because the organization needs to make sure that every volunteer will truly love the animals, it is fairly easy to get involved. Online at www.bondcohs.petfinder.com, one can find the online application.

In fact, there are a couple different applications. For example, one can apply to be a foster parent for the needy animals. Since BCHS does not yet own a permanent shelter, the animals desperately need volunteers who will open up their homes as temporary shelters, until people are found who want to adopt them. As the website makes clear, most of the puppies and kittens are injured, either mentally or physically by their stays in local pounds. So, BCHS is continually searching for volunteers who will house the animals. In fact, BCHS provides the necessary food, collars, and crates — all that is up to the volunteer is to love their pet.

As stated above, there are other volunteer opportunities, such as daily feeding of the animals, walking them, cleaning them, or preparing them for adoption days (which occur every Saturday, sometimes in Glen Carbon, sometimes in Fairview Heights). Furthermore, there are opportunities for volunteers to work in the office, answering phones or preparing any necessary paperwork.

Now, there is no better time to volunteer than now, and the doors are always open at BCHS. There are some up and coming events in the future as well. On May 13 there will be an 18 Hole Golf Scramble Fundraiser at the course in Carlyle and on May 20 there is another fundraiser with dinner by candlelight and music at the First Presbyterian Church. Both fundraisers are for raising enough money for a permanent building. So attend, volunteer, and become a part of BCHS and hundreds of puppies’ and kittens’ lives.

The Greenville Advocate, Page 8

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 1, continued on Page 12

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 1

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 4

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 12

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Bond County Humane Society is undergoing organizational changes due to a decrease of volunteers, making it impossible to maintain the current business hours.

The society will continue to provide all current services, including low-cost spay/neuter programs, but is reducing the number of hours the office is open to the public.

Effective September 1, Bond County Humane Society will be closed to the public on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.

The current schedule is Monday through Friday, from 1 to 5 p.m. When the change occurs, county residents will be able to visit the humane society cat shelter, on South Fourth Street in Greenville, on Monday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons.

Rachel Hundsdorfer, president of BCHS, said it is hoped the situation is temporary and the society can resume the five day a week business hours in the near future. The society can be contacted at 664-4068. Someone will return the call as quickly as possible.

Anyone interested in volunteering is urged to call the same number, visit the society’s website, or send an email.

Pocahontas Boy Scout Troop 1060 conducted a fundraising event this past spring to benefit Bond County Humane Society.

The Boy Scouts raised $255 during the event at the Pocahontas School. They also arranged for CARE to present a program to students about the proper care of pets.

Presenting the money raised to Rachel Hundsdorfer, president of BCHS, were Chris Dixon, Brendan Nelson, Don Cruse III, and Austin May.

The Greenville Advocate, Page 12

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The Greenville Advocate

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 10

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The Papyrus, Greenville College Student Newspaper, Page 5

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The Greenville Advocate, Page 9

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Obviously, when firefighters arrive at a structure fire, their focus is on saving the lives of any persons who may be inside.
  The saving of pets is also important to those who experience fires and firefighters.
  Last week, Bond County Humane Society presented the Greenville Fire Protection District with two SurgiVet pet oxygen mask kits which can be used to save dogs and cats overcome by smoke due to a fire.
  Dennis Hundsdorfer, of the humane society, said the kits were purchased through a donation from an individual who wishes to remain anonymous.
  Each kit contains three masks, hoses, and a carrying case. They are designed to provide supplemental oxygen to animals suffering from respiratory distress, smoke inhalation, and for general recovery from anesthesia. The hoses and masks are hooked up to aid tanks normally used by firefighters in home fires.
  Accepting the kits for the Greenville Fire Protection District was Fire Chief Bill Johnston. Firefighters on the district department will be trained on the use of the pet oxygen masks kit.
  Hundsdorfer said BCHS’s goal is to provide at least one pet oxygen mask kit to each fire district in Bond County. They cost $65 apiece. Anyone who would like to make a donation for this specific purpose can contact BCHS at 664-4068.
  According to Hundsdorfer, another program for the safety of pets will be started in the near future.
  The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is supplying Bond County Humane SOciety with stickers that can be placed on windows at homes where dogs and/or cats live.
  Similar to the stickers that are used to identify bedrooms in a home, these stickers will tell firefighters of the possibility that a pet might be inside a burning structure.
  More information about this program will be provided by BCHS once the stickers are received.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Saturday afternoon a big crowd of people and their dogs attended the annual Bond County Humane Society’s Paws in the Park at Greenville’s Patriot’s Park. The crowd enjoyed many demonstrations including a crew from the St. Louis Police Department showing off their police dogs.

[in Photos: Events Registrations and Vendor Booths; Agility Course]

The month of May has brought a final revision of the shelter floorplan by a company known as Houndquarters. We’ve erected a sign (and a few evergreen trees!) out on South Elm marking the future home of Bond County Humane Society. When construction is financially possible and all necessary permissions secured, we trust that the local community will continue to bring the intricate pieces of the building project together with utility installations, furnishings, etc., providing many more years of service to the animals and animal lovers of Bond County.

[in Photos: Our current facility on 1403 South 4th Street; Sign installed at the corner of our future home on 2510 South Elm Street]

Our dream and our future now has an artist’s sketch! Spending unlimited funding resources, our highest goals would be to house both cats and dogs under one public-friendly roof, provide space to incorporate 10 indoor/outdoor dog runs, three community cat rooms and separate holding areas for incoming animals. Yet, a more realistically scaled back, affordable floorplan must still produce a facility for both cats and dogs under one building roof. It must be specifically designed to have durable, safe and comfortable kennels. It should also have a community room where education classes can be held.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Bond County Humane Society has had a busy month. Not only are they getting ready for Paws in the Park, they are also in the middle of applying for a grant so they will be able to build a new facility. We talked to Humane Society Volunteer Vicki Cook. She said the Humane Society is preparing a grant application through Rural Development. If they receive the grant, it will be used for startup costs for a new building. They are hoping for a permanent building to assist cats and dogs. About $250,000 will be needed for the new building. The Bond County Humane Society is a 100 percent volunteer agency for assistance with cats and dogs.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Prior to last Tuesday night’s Greenville City Council meeting, the City’s Planning Commission voted to subdivide 8 acres and create a two-acre parcel which will allow for construction of the Bond County Humane Society facility between Enertech and FCI. Later, the Council also approved the proposal. According to Rachel Hundsdorfer, the next step will be to apply for a grant to build the new shelter that will become home to stray dogs and cats.

Bond County Humane Society has received a generous donation from Mary Kasmark for the purchase of 2 acres of land for construction of a shelter. The land being purchased is located at the end of South Elm between the sewer plant and Extreme Sports. BCHS is very grateful to Mary for her extremely generous gift. The intention is to sell the land donated by Sam Blankenship on West Ayers. It is believed the land on South Elm offers BCHS better visibility to the community and is more convenient for volunteers.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) The Bond County Humane Society is another step closer to having its own animal shelter. Tuesday night, the Bond County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-1 in favor of a variance allowing the construction of the facility on three acres along West Ayers Road. Zoning regulations require five acres which led to the Humane Society’s variance request. Zoning Administrator Howard Elmore told WGEL that although the building is being referred to as an animal shelter, under zoning rules it is considered a kennel. The land is zoned agricultural. Elmore said Dennis and Rachel Hundsdorfer and several supporters represented the Bond County Humane Society at the Zoning Board meeting. The board’s recommendation will now go to the Bond County board for final approval.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) In an attempt to connect more abandoned animals with loving families, the Humane Society is hoping to build a shelter large enough to accommodate their goal. WGEL spoke with Rachel Hundsdorfer from Bond County Humane Society about their plans. “Having an animal shelter to serve the animals in Bond County has been a dream of ours since we became an organization in 2003”, Hundsdorfer explained. And because of the generous donation of Sam Blankenship of 3 acres of land on West Ayers Rd, this dream is close to becoming a reality. The Humane Society’s goal is to have a shelter that would house dogs and cats and provide them with a good environment to keep them adoptable. Hundsdorfer is hoping to start construction within a year on a 3,000-4,000 sq. foot shelter costing between $300,000 and $400,000. The Humane Society is also planning on going to the Bond County Zoning Board to request a variance of the ordinance requiring all land in the county to be in five acre plots since their donation consisted of only three.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Like many organizations, Bond County Humane Society has many dreams for the future but a shortage of funds and manpower. The organization has several fundraisers planned for the year including their 3rd annual rummage sale this Saturday from 8 until 11am at the Greenville First United Methodist Church. Perhaps the group’s biggest event is Paws In the Park which, according to BCHS member Rachel Hundsdorfer is September 16th. The day includes a variety of activities and contests for dogs and their owners. Micro-chipping of dogs and cats will also be available for only $15 during Paws in the Park. Hundsdorfer talked to WGEL about the society’s greatest need, which is more volunteers. She added that county desperately needs an animal shelter, which the humane society could apply for grant funding for construction. Hundsdorfer said they can not seek a grant for the cost of obtaining land. She indicated the project would require two to five acres and must be zoned agricultural. For more information about the Bond County Humane Society call 664-4068.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) The Fourth Annual Paws in the Park event, sponsored by Bond County Humane Society, is set for Saturday, September 8, 2007, at Patriot’s Park in Greenville. The day begins with a Wag-N-Walk fundraiser from 8:00 am - 11:00 am, to raise money for homeless and unwanted animals. Event registration begins at 11:00 am for the agility course from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm and the dog show from 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm. Micro-chipping will also be available. There will be a concession stand, doggie items for sale, animals eligible for adoption, and music, provided by Joe’s Acoustic Jam. For more information, contact Bond County Humane Society at 664-4068.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Join us this Sunday for WGEL’s Public Affairs Program. Our guest this week is Rachel Hundsdorfer, President of Bond County Humane Society. Rachel will discuss the organization’s upcoming events, and how the decrease in animal adoptions lately, with the continuing rise in the dog and cat population, is leading to an urgent need for more volunteers. That’s Public Affairs this Sunday following our noon Bond County Area News here on WGEL.

Bond County Humane Society, Bond County, and its low-cost spay-neuter initiative was a recipient of a Southwestern Electric Operation Round Up grant. The $500 grant was a part of the 2007-2008 Operation Round Up grant cycle.

Operation Round Up (ORU) is a charitable program governed, funded, and supported by Southwestern Electric Cooperative members. Co-op members may elect to have the amount of their monthly electric bills rounded up to the nearest dollar—an additional charge of between 1 and 99 cents.* The rounded-up amount goes into a charitable fund that the governing committee allocates toward community projects ranging from education and athletics to veterans’ affairs and the arts.

“On May 14, 2007 we moved into our temporary office, adoption center and cat shelter. Included below are some pictures of the murals in the adult cat area that was painted by the Greenville High School Art Class. The layer cake and sheet cake were donated by Elegant Edibles in Greenville for our Open House on April 29, 2007. The layer cake had pictures of animals that have been adopted from BCHS. One picture is of volunteers in the reception area. There is also a picture of the building. The building is owned by Bond County and was going to be demolished. Instead of destroying the building BCHS came in and renovated the interior to make it suitable for our purposes. Bond County is leasing the building to BCHS for $1/year. This is a temporary facility until funding can be obtained to construct our permanent shelter on the 3 acres of land donated in 2006.”

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Many people stopped in last Sunday at the open house for the new Adoption Center, Office, and Cat Shelter of the Bond County Humane Society. The shelter is located in the old Bond County Highway Maintenance Department on S. Fourth Street, but the interior of the building has been totally renovated. Up stairs is an office, and a kitten room. A trip to the basement reveals an adult cat area capable of holding 30 cats, complete with plenty of space for play and toys. A washer and dryer is also in the basement.

People that visited Sunday had a chance to meet different shelter animals including Ben, a Alaskan Malamute, Lab mix. Ben came from the Bond County pound, where he had escaped several times. An extremely gentle dog, Ben is not available for adoption, but is receiving training to become a therapy dog. The goal is to have Ben enrich lives of people in nursing homes and hospitals. He represents just one of the stories of animals rescued.

The Humane Society continues to be in need of donations and volunteers, especially with the new location. If you can help in any way please call 664-4068.

[in Photos: Ben and Livy; Adult Cat Area]

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) The Bond County Humane Society will be having a grand opening, at the end of the month, for their new facility. They have rented the old Highway Department Office on South Fourth Street. According to Rachel Hundsdorfer, over this past month volunteers have been working hard to get the building ready for it’s new occupants. The concrete floor in the basement had to be recovered, as that is where the cats will be housed. This is only a temporary home, as the long term goal is to build a shelter on the three acres donated to the Humane Society. BCHS hopes to have the shelter built within two years. For now, residents can visit the new office, Adoption Center and Cat Shelter during the Open House on April 29th from 2-4PM. For more information, call 664-4068.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) The Bond County Humane Society recently announced a new program called “Recycle for Rescue”. Local residents are encouraged to save their used ink jet, laser and toner cartridges, as well as digital cell phones, PDAs Blackberries and palm pilots in good working order. Ted’s Recycling in Mulberry Grove has also set up an account for the Humane Society for anyone who wants to donate their aluminum cans. They can be taken directly to the recycling center, or a volunteer will be happy to pick them up.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Students at the Greenville Elementary School spent the month of April raising “Pennies for Puppies” for Bond County Humane Society. They related their Character Education word of the month, “Fairness”, to the fundraiser by saying that every dog deserves a fair chance at a home. Dee Pruitt, coordinator of the event said that with each Character Ed word, they try to have the students involved with something related in the community. The goal for the month was $400, however GES students were able to raise over $800 for the Bond County Humane Society. As a result, Principal Scott Pasley and P.E. Teacher Sandy Howard have agreed to kiss a pig at a school assembly Thursday.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Character education continues to be an important part of the Unit 2 School District’s curriculum. For the month of April, the Character Ed word is “Fairness” and students at the Greenville Elementary School are using that to help homeless animals in our community. They began raising “Pennies for Puppies” for the Bond County Humane Society. Dee Pruitt, coordinator of the fundraiser, said that with each Character Ed word, they try to have the students involved with something related in the community. There is a jar in each classroom and students have been encouraged to fill them with change. Pruitt said that their goal this month is to raise $400, and as of last week, they were half way there. Principal Scott Pasley has promised that if the goal is reached, he will kiss a pig at a school assembly. The top five classes who raised the most money, will get a front row seat at the “Pucker Up Pig” event.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Bond County Humane Society is reporting 92 dog and puppy and 69 cat and kitten adoptions in 2006. Additionally, five dogs were successfully reunited with their owners while one dog was given to the Golden Retriever Rescue program. The low cost spay and neuter program coordinated by Bond County Humane Society resulted in that service being provided to 50 cats and 53 dogs. The society held its first meeting of the New Year earlier this month and focused on fund raising for 2007. A spaghetti dinner is scheduled for February 16 at the Greenville VFW Hall. WGEL will have more details as they date gets closer. Many other fundraisers are being planned including a rummage sale, bake sale, barbecue, and the annual Paws In The Park in September and the Halloween Party in October. Bond County Humane Society meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm in the Free Methodist Gateway Center. New members are welcome and for details call 664-4068.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Several members of Bond County Humane Society made an appearance in late August on KSDK’s “Today In St. Louis.” Twelve volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 87 got up bright and early to be in St. Louis by 6 a.m. when the program goes on the air. The Humane Society members brought along signs promoting their organization and the September 16th “Paws In The Park” event. A four-legged friend also made a guest appearance. Comet, a puppy that Bond County Humane Society has available for adoption, made a big impression on the show’s co-host, Jennifer Blome. The organization is reporting that since their appearance on “Today In St. Louis” they have received several applications to adopt through their website.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Bond County Humane Society announced that it has been selected as an Ambassador for the Purina Rally to Rescue campaign. The organization will work to raise local awareness and resources for pet rescue and increase its own adoption efforts by hosting events. The Rally to Rescue campaign allows pets and owners to join forces and outfit themselves in matching rallying symbols for the pet rescue cause. Both dogs and cats can make a statement with purple, nylon adjustable collars. Owners can wear purple wristbands that look like the pet collars, but are sized for people. President of the Bond County Humane Society, Rachael Hundsdorfer, said that they are thrilled to have been chosen as one of 300 shelters nationwide to be an Ambassador for the Rally to Rescue campaign. She also noted that this unique fundraising initiative will enable local rescue organizations like them to continue to make a difference and save thousands of homeless pets.

(WGEL 101.7FM Daily News) Being a veterinarian might have been an advantage for Saturday’s winner of the Celebrity Milking Contest during the 14th annual Dairy Day. Dr. Jennifer Ostrom of the Greenville Veterinary Clinic squeezed for 8 ounces to claim this year’s crown. Her opponent, Dennis Hundsdorfer from Bond County Humane Society, finished second overall with 4.1 ounces. Winners of the individual heats were Mandy Koontz of Cardinal Hill, Gloria Pasdeck of Gloria’s Flowers and Gifts, Cheri Schilling of Cheri’s Garden Room, Unit 2 Superintendent Melanie Allyn, and Miss Bond County Sarah Frey.

WHEREAS, September 25, 2004 is recognized as Responsible Dog Ownership Day in Bond County, and “Paws in the Park” is the event to be held in recognition of this day; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of this event is to raise funds to ultimately construct or buy a building as a shelter to provide temporary housing for stray, abandoned, and unwanted animals until suitable loving permanent homes can be found; and

WHEREAS, In honor of this day and its purpose, there will be various dog activities including an agility course and dog contests; a low cost microchipping clinic will also be available and staffed by a veterinarian donating his/her services; the event will take place at Patriot’s Park in Greenville; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the date of September 25, 2004 as Responsible Dog Ownership Day in Bond County and support the efforts of the Bond County Humane Society.