Animal shelters are not normally known for their ability to cleanse the mind of stress or lighten your spirits. The din of incessant barking and the soul-piercing gazes of unattended animals and orphaned pets can make you sad and uneasy. Essentially, they are the shanty towns of temporary pet homes.
Just off of Main Street, the Humane Society of Searcy has carved out a small island of comparative bliss and comfort for the abandoned pets of the community. Outside, a manicured lawn provides ample space for the dogs to be walked, and a fenced-in area allows for freedom. Inside, a room full of caged cats bristle with the anticipation of being held. In a connecting room, dogs of all shapes and sizes eagerly await their temporary release from their clean, blanketed kennels.
Despite these improvements from other shelters, one issue remains: the animals vastly outnumber the workers. Freshman volunteer Ross Smith recognized this.
“I feel like the people there want to spend time with the dogs,” Smith said. “But at the same time they have other work to do.”
The solution is more volunteers. From 1 to 5 p.m. everyday, volunteers of any age and experience are encouraged to come spend time with the animals. Activities range from dangling strings for cats, playing fetch with dogs or being gently mauled by a friendly band of puppies.
For Smith, the focus of volunteering was to give the animals the simple right of fellowship.
“A lot of the dogs there were neglected, and they don’t have things to do,” Smith said. “We wanted to go and just spend time with them.”
The eyes batting behind chain link and the wagging of excited tails from inside the kennels demand a response, and seem to promise unending affection in return.
However, the reciprocation does not end there. According to freshman Mikala Steiner, visiting the Humane Society is therapeutic.
“It’s really stress relieving,” Steiner said. “There’s something about taking care of something else that makes you feel better.”
Steiner said she has visited multiple times, always with the intention of holding puppies and always feeling better as a result.
Both Smith and Steiner agreed that the shelter is in need of manpower.
“I think that the dogs and the people that work there can never get enough (volunteers),” Smith said.
For those uninterested, allergic, or simply looking for a different way to help, the Humane Society offers volunteer opportunities in ways not directly associated with the animals as well. The Barkin’ Barn, a thrift store located at 108 N. Gum Street in Searcy, accepts donations of items and donates all proceeds from the store to the Humane Society of Searcy. The shelter also collects aluminum cans for recycling, accepts donations like blankets or food and offers the animals up for adoption.
