Page 23 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2022

LEFT: A stray kitten, Kitty, before and after treatment from a Humane Society of South Mississippi foster parent.
RIGHT: A stray puppy, La Petite,
crimes. Protecting animals protects us all. Buyer beware! Please do your research
on reputable rescues prior to adopting. Some rescue situations start off as well intended, but often lead to neglect due to the unmanageable number of animals. Always ask for references/testimonials,
a full detailed medical report, their registered charity status/federal ID number, and a site visit.
We must take a collective responsibility approach and hold ourselves accountable for the welfare of pets in our community. While HSSM’s outcomes continue to trend in a positive direction, the number of animals that are taken into the shelter does not trend accordingly. Pet Retention programs along with better local ordinances, legislation, and licensing laws will hopefully be the driving force that will help HSSM continue their mission to save and enhance the quality of life for the most vulnerable pets across south Mississippi.
before and after treatment at HSSM.
pet, please consider fostering. Fostering an animal in need is not a lifetime commitment, but it is a commitment to saving lives. You can also consider being an adoption ambassador by taking an animal on a Doggy Day Out to socialize and decompress. This is such a fun and rewarding way to be an animal’s hero. Another way to have a positive impact in a shelter pets life is by volunteering your time. HSSM is always in need of volunteers to walk dogs, pass out treats, socialize cats, work adoption off-site events, etc.
Unfortunately, there are simply not enough homes for the number of stray animals that we see come into the shelter each year. Spaying/neutering is the
most sustainable solution to pet over- population in South Mississippi. There are many health benefits to spaying/ neutering your pet, and HSSM offers this service at a reduced cost to all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Sadly, over 2.5 million pets are relinquished by their owners each year.
If you have exhausted all resources and can no longer care for your pet, HSSM encourages pet owners to first reach out to friends, family, and co-workers to re-home their pet prior to surrendering them to the shelter.
Community members can help local shelters keep intake numbers down
by helping reunite lost pets with their owners. Consider taking in the animal until you find the owners, post flyers, canvas the area in which the animal was found, have them scanned for a microchip, etc. prior to dropping them off at the shelter.
Public Accountability
Backyard breeders, puppy mills, illegitimate rescues, hoarding, neglect, and animal abuse cases are on the rise in South Mississippi. If you see something, say something. Contact your local animal control office if you have any suspicions of animal abuse. Animal cruelty is strongly correlated with other violent
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
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To support the Humane Society of South Mississippi or to get involved or volunteer at the shelter, you can email donate@hssm.org or call 228.822.3802.