The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Humane Society of Grand Bahama has received overwhelming support since announcing last week that it is on the verge of closing because of financial hardship, according to a press statement by the non-profit organisation released yesterday.

Both regular and new supporters have stepped up to help the struggling organisation as it seeks to provide various services to animals on the island.

“However, we must emphasise that we are not out of the woods,” its statement said.

“This is not a temporary crisis with a quick fix. We need to obtain enough funding to keep our doors open. And we should be able to find this within ourselves and our island.”

The organisation needs money not only to pay off its debt, but also to remain out of debt. The money recently raised has been enough to help the organisation cover about 15 per cent of its debt.

“With the help of a few concerned residents and business owners who have come forward recently, we are exploring some potential initiatives which we are very excited about,” the group said.

“In the coming weeks, we hope to launch a campaign which should not only help us stay afloat, but also enable us to finally extend once again our services on a broader basis to the entire island, not just Freeport. We will need the entire island’s support for it to succeed, including private individuals and businesses. We are not simply a ‘charity.’ We are providing a necessary community service.”

The organisation rejected calls to kill more of the animals it shelters, noting that research shows such action does not reduce the number of stray animals.

“Killing is not a long-term solution,” the statement said. “The places that have made a difference are those who employ pick up services, but who also include humane education, free and low cost spay/neuter services, pet retention programmes, adoption programmes, among others.

“Compassionate and humane approaches to animal over-population problems are working all over the world; there is no reason they can’t work here.”

The statement added that the Humane Society of Grand Bahama is not a “dog pound” or “slaughter house”.

“Our mission is to help the most helpless among us, the voiceless animals who have as much right to life as we do. How would we be helping them by simply rounding them up and killing them? And what would that say about us as an island, a nation or a people, if we were okay with that?”

The organisation said it doesn’t believe most Grand Bahamians would ever support measures to kill all the animals that come into the humane society’s care and called on people to show compassion.