Page 40 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2024

HAPPY TAILS FROM HSSM ADOPT, DON’T SHOP.
photo by
Arielle Victoria
When Todd Trenchard, executive director of the Bacot Foundation of South Mississippi, was considering adding a third dog to his canine family, he knew exactly where to look, the Humane Society of South Mississippi.
“Their professionalism is exemplary, and their volunteers are amazing,” Trenchard said. “They are loyal partners to the animals and the community.”
He found just the little pooch he was searching for at the 2022 Rock N Roll Over event in a silent auction. The non-profit organization holds the themed event annually and that year’s concept was “The Magic of Voodoo!”
“She is the quintessential mutt,” Trenchard said. “She’s little, tiny, and just something that would probably wander the streets and never even be noticed. That’s what caught my eyes and caught my heart.”
Trenchard explained at the time, he had suddenly lost a beloved
English Bulldog and thought he would end up getting another
of the same breed until he met Madame Leota.
“I made it a quest, I was going to get that dog and I didn't care what it cost,” he said, adding there was a bit of a bidding war, but he ultimately prevailed. Madame Leota now happily lives with Samsung, an English bulldog, and Buttermilk, a Pugabull.
“She was skittish at first, probably from having to live on the street, but now they’ve bonded. She sleeps on top of the other two and they're my family,” he said.
He joked that he has two Cadillacs and a used car but was serious when he said each one specially held his heart and he dearly loves them.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a pure breed or one from an animal shelter, love is love,” he said.
And that’s not the only involvement Trenchard has with the humane society.
Each September the Humane Society hosts a special needs day camp that’s open for all ages. The Bacot Foundation annually supports the camp, which allows participants to learn about caring for animals, including farm animals such as ducks, chicks, goats, and lambs. Call Development Director Katie King at 228.822.3802 or email her at katie@hssm.org for more information about the camp.
2615 25TH AVE., GULFPORT 228.863.3354 INFO@HSSM.ORG
TUESDAY-FRIDAY: 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. SATURDAY 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.
40 | July 2024
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Todd Trenchard and Madame Leota.
2023 HSSM special needs summer day camp.