By JAMES ZIEGLER Bismarck Tribune
Donations are what keep the Central Dakota Humane Society animal shelter in Mandan afloat.
They
receive no funding through federal or state channels and are completely
funded through donations and fundraisers according to the shelter's Web
site.
Last month Missouri Valley Veterinary Clinic and Pinehurst
Veterinary Clinic gave a different kind of donation. The staff of both
clinics volunteered to stay after hours to spay or neuter a total of 30
animals for the Humane Society free of charge.
"That was
something that Dr. (Tom) Bettenhausen approached me about and asked how
many animals we had that needed to be spayed or neutered and if that
affected how fast the animals get adopted," said shelter director Sue
Buchholz. "For us to pay the full retail price of that it would have
probably been a couple thousand dollars."
Although others have made donations that go toward spaying and neutering, this is the largest according to Buchholz.
Tom
Bettenhausen of the Missouri Valley Veterinary Clinic said that they
decided to volunteer their services because of the number of animals
that needed to be spayed or neutered.
Five dogs were neutered, 10 dogs spayed, three cats neutered and 12 cats spayed.
"That was a very nice donation from them," Buchholz said.
(James Ziegler is a student at Bismarck State College. He can be reached at 701-302-0822.)