Beth Rumsey, staff writer

The Ripley County Humane Society will hold an open house to showcase their new building on Sunday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The facility is located at 1202 West County Road 150N, between Versailles and Osgood.

The new 48x80 building will house a safer testing room as well as a utility room, a break/meeting room for employees and volunteers as well as kennels to house up to 24 dogs. Plans for a surgery suite had to be put on hold due to lack of funding, according to RCHS President Dee Dee Holliday.

At the open house, the community can tour the new building, visit the animals, and have lunch. Information will be available on the spay/neuter clinics. There will be an opportunity to attend an obedience training class, according to Sandra Liming, secretary and public relations for the humane society.

“We receive cats and dogs from all over Ripley County,” said Liming. Regretfully, some animals cannot be taken in by the humane society and are put on a waiting list, Liming noted. “It’s a situation where we (RCHS) can’t take in animals because none have been adopted, and there is just no room," said Liming. “Since this is a no kill shelter, some of the animals have been there a long time.”
The animals receive immediate veterinarian care as soon as they are taken into the shelter. All shots are given, and they are spayed or neutered. A micro chip is installed in the animal in case it becomes lost.

Those interested can foster a dog or cat until there is an opening at the shelter. According to Liming, a person can request the type of animal they would like to foster. The shelter pays for the shots, spay or neuter, and food. “All you need to do in invest your time,” said Liming.

The humane society does not receive regular funding by the county, and relies on generous donations from the community. “If we had everyone in the county give just a dollar,” said Holliday, “we could do a lot.”

Donations are always welcome, with kitty litter high on the list. The humane society has had several generous donors, including the Rising Sun Regional Foundation, Reynolds Foundation, Ripley County Community Foundation, and the Ripley County Council and Commissioners.

“The Ripley County Humane Society wants to continue helping the community, but, we need the community’s help,” concluded Liming.

For more information on the open house, to adopt or foster an animal, or to make a donation, contact the Ripley County Humane Society at 812-689-3773.