Dec 19, 2017 3 min read

OK, admit it.

Even if you think your household has a full complement of dogs, or there’s no more room at the inn for another cat, you might find yourself checking the website of the Washington Area Humane Society occasionally to see what canines or felines are available for adoption. Heck, if you’re not careful, it could turn into one of those moments where your head says no, but your heart says, why not, our 4-year-old indoor cat seems bored and could use another playmate, and that 2-year-old domestic shorthair who is said to be relaxed and good with people could be the ideal companion around the Fancy Feast bowl.

There can be no doubt that the Washington Area Humane Society performs a vital service. Located on Route 136 in Eighty Four, it takes in about 1,000 animals every year, has a staff of 19 employees, both part-time and full-time, has an additional 250 volunteers who lend a hand and is open seven days a week. In 2016, it pulled together adoptions for 850 animals and, perhaps just as important, spayed and neutered 700 animals, helping to keep the population of unwanted dogs and cats in check.

As the population of the county has changed, so have the needs of the Humane Society. It’s still operating out of a structure built in 1950, that, according to director Kelly Proudfit, “is crumbling around us.” The organization also now employs a full-time humane officer, which it did not have until a couple of years ago. That officer fields around 500 calls per year and, within the last year, the Humane Society has spent more than $100,000 in two cases where it needed to care for rescued animals.

According to Proudfit, “We’ve seen an increase in the need, but we don’t have the budget to keep up with it.”

So it’s disappointing that last week North Strabane Township turned down a request by the Humane Society for a $25,000 grant to help out with the care of rescued animals. As we pointed out recently in an editorial about the impending departure of Frank Siffrinn, North Strabane’s manager, the township has been blessed with robust residential growth, along with the fact that it’s the home of The Meadows Casino, from which it receives a bounty of $2.7 million per year in local share funds.

Sure, $25,000 isn’t exactly pin money and the township should be commended for keeping a close watch on its pennies. Supervisor Marcus Staley voiced concern about “giving taxpayer dollars to a private enterprise.” But North Strabane also has a budget in the neighborhood of $13 million, and the Humane Society performs a crucial function within its boundaries. North Strabane, and other communities within the county, should support it.

Private assistance has allowed the Humane Society to bank $3.5 million for a new facility, and it has requested an additional $500,000 in local share money. But it’s day-to-day needs must still be covered. As Proudfit said, “As it gets harder and more competitive to fund-raise, how are we going to sustain these services if we are not getting support from our township?”

Dave Kassekert, president of the Humane Society’s board, said they plan on asking other municipalities for help.

“Hopefully they’ll be more generous than North Strabane,” he said.

We hope so, too.