The dedicated staff and volunteers at the Morrison County Humane Society (MCHS) are committed to caring for homeless and abandoned animals in the county every day, despite facing significant obstacles. Representatives from MCHS provided the Morrison County Board of Commissioners with a detailed update on their operations and long-term plans at its Tuesday, May 7 meeting.
MCHS Board President Paul Mickelson was joined by board members Dave Glaze and Bruce Krych to discuss both the challenges faced by the shelter and their efforts to enhance animal welfare services locally.
One hurdle addressed was a theft of roughly $26,000 by a former employee in 2022 that depleted the shelter’s finances. The former employee has since been convicted and ordered to pay restitution over a number of years.
“Nobody at the shelter at this point was involved or ever will be involved in something like this again,” Mickelson said.
The board took quick action, hiring a new treasurer, who previously served as a business manager She has instituted strict financial controls such as requiring two signatures on all checks.
“She runs an extremely tight ship,” Mickelson said. “If we’re off by one penny, she will not let it go.”
Facility limitations are also an ongoing struggle, according to Mickelson. The aging building, located next to Little Falls City Hall, was never intended to function as an animal shelter long-term. Basic needs like properly isolating sick animals are nearly impossible. Outbreaks are difficult to contain with the open kennel design, as was seen during recent cases of parvo in both dogs and cats and feline distemper in cats. Only diligent staff work prevented larger disease spread and further animal losses. Because ringworm can spread to humans, the shelter is currently closed except for appointments. However, all shelter animals are currently looking healthy, so as long as no more outbreaks occur, the shelter is expected to open back up sometime within the next two weeks.
Despite these challenges, MCHS took in over 478 stray and surrendered animals in 2023, nearly double the amount taken in during 2013, 243 animals. Nearly 90% of these animals were successfully rehomed or transferred to other shelters and rescue groups, according to Mickelson. The shelter’s recent fundraising allowed for critical infrastructure upgrades like new HVAC systems to improve air quality.
Mickelson shared two success stories of saving neglected and abused animals and giving them new, safe, loving homes. The first story was of a cat that was at first “vicious and feral” when it first came into the shelter. Through patient care, however, the cat began to warm up to people and other animals, and last week was adopted. The second story involved a dog that was neglected by its owners, only getting food that was tossed over the fence by neighbors. When the dog was brought into the shelter, it weighed only 20 pounds, which was extremely underweight for its breed and age. Again through the care the shelter provided, this dog went from being aggressive or avoiding other animals or people to being friendly and playful toward everyone.
“That’s what we do,” Mickelson said. “That’s success.”
Looking ahead, the board’s long term goal remains obtaining a purpose-built facility. Plans call for individual housing units to prevent illness transmission. Trap-neuter-release programs are also hoped to restart to stabilize the large feral cat population. Partnerships with neighboring counties will continue to expand adoption opportunities.
County officials expressed appreciation for the shelter’s lifesaving role. Interested residents can support MCHS through donations, fostering, or the open board positions. Despite obstacles, the staff and volunteers remain dedicated to caring for Morrison County’s homeless pets.
Most Popular
Comments / 0