By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
The Geneseo Shelter is full and the board of directors and volunteers at the shelter are asking for help in caring for the animals without permanent homes.
In a recent conversation with Linda VanDerLeest, tears filled her eyes when asked about the local shelter.
VanDerLeest is president of the board of the Henry County Humane Society, Geneseo Shelter, and she deeply cares for the furry friends who make their home there.
“We are full and we are struggling to keep up financially, and we simply cannot keep up with expenses,” she said. “Our costs have escalated due to the increased overall expenses.”
Linda VanDerLeest, president of the board of the Henry County Humane Society, Geneseo Shelter, with two of the nearly 100 cats and kittens making their home at the Geneseo Shelter. Photo by Claudia Loucks
VanDerLeest estimated that it takes $22,000 to $25,000 each month to keep the doors open at the shelter….”Those are costs for salaries, cleaning, food, utilities and more,” she said.
“Even though the monthly operating expenses of the shelter have increased, the available operating funds are down 63 percent compared to this time in 2021, she added.
The shelter now has 96 cats and kittens and 13 dogs making their home at the shelter, and that does not include the 16 cats and kittens in foster care and the five dogs in foster homes. Even though that many furry friends are in foster care, it is the responsibility of the Geneseo Shelter to cover the cost of their care.
‘We are using 11 rooms to care for the animals,” VanDerLeest said, and explained that some gathering areas and greeting spaces have now been converted into rooms for the animals.
“The Geneseo Shelter is not a taxing body so we do not receive any government funding,” she said. “We rely entirely on financial donations and we just aren’t receiving what we need.”
“During Covid, we nearly emptied the shelter because people were adopting the animals then and now we are seeing an increase in surrenders, when the animals are being returned to the shelter or left at the shelter for the first time because the pet owner can no longer afford to keep them. Our monetary donations have not increased, but the number of animals we are caring for has increased substantially, and we just can’t continue like this.”
And it isn’t just the need of financial help, VanDerLeest said there continues to be a need for dependable volunteers, and she added, “When you volunteer at an animal shelter, you’re helping to make your community a place for animals, and you are also helping to raise awareness about the importance of animal welfare, which also benefits the entire community.”
“We are asking the community to consider making monetary donations to the shelter this Christmas,” she said. ‘Your end of the year tax deductible donation to the shelter will ensure we can continue to care for our animals. Thank you!”