20th Year Celebration

By Dolores Harrington

            Before 1989, there were individuals who worked to rescue animals in Clark County, One of them, Evelyn Monahan, reportedly had as many as 100 dogs at her home at one time. There were others, too, who started their own “personal shelters,” but no formal humane society existed until 20 years ago this November.

            Don Ross said when he and his late wife, Dee, moved to Arkadelphia they bought a house just west of the city limits. They soon learned that it was a drop-off point for unwanted dogs.

            “Dee would find a dog and then find it a home,” Don said. “She advertised in the paper, on the radio and put notices in the vets’ offices.” After a while, she decided the county needed a humane society. “She got people to put their names on a list, and when she got 20 names, she called a meeting.” The Humane Society of Clark County was formed at that meeting.

            For a time, HSCC members kept animals at their homes. The first shelter for dogs in Clark County was located on the tennis courts at the Arkadelphia Human Development Center. With crates, dog carriers and make-shift roofs, the dogs were cared for by volunteers. Richard Robinson, an employee of AHDC, offered the use of the space for the society, Ross said.

            There was no accommodation for cats at the first shelter. Jessica Garrison said, “I know that Dee Ross was responsible for laying out the groundwork to rescue dogs. My mom, (the late) Judy Garcia, Janie Allen and Pat Pennington were instrumental in creating a program for cats, as there had not been one.” The cats were originally kept at a variety of locations.

            For a long time, Jim and Margaret Brazil kept the society’s cats at their home. They had cages for a great many cats and kept them until they were moved to the society’s permanent shelter in 2005.

            For a dozen or more years, the HSCC operated the shelter at the AHDC, but, finally, “they needed their space,” Betty Eckhart, who served as HSCC treasurer for many years, said. “They gave us a deadline when we had to be moved.”

            The society had looked at several locations for a permanent shelter, including some land offered to them by the city. Nothing was quite practical enough, but they had an opportunity to purchase a building on Walnut Street that had been a feed store.

            The price of the building was $70,000, and the society had accumulated a building fund, which was used for part of the purchase price. Eckhart said, “The Cabe Foundation gave us $30,000.” The Ross Foundation provided $10,000, and Barrie Gravel donated $12,000. Applications for grants were written, and the rest of the purchase price was raised.

Betty Helms, HSCC treasurer and newsletter editor, said, “Many donations from people in Clark and surrounding counties helped with funds for the building. Every $5 and $10 donation was deeply appreciated.”

            The society bought the building in March 2005, and after some painting and minor work was done they moved in soon after that. “We moved the cats right away,” Gail Gravett, a volunteer with HSCC, said. She said there were cats “everywhere.” The dogs were moved as soon as pens and shelters were erected on the back of the lot.

            Having a building to house the animals was great, but one serious problem remained. The building was not on the sewer line; it had only an old septic system. Eventually, the city agreed to bore under the street to get the service to the lot, but the rest of the work had to be financed by the humane society. Alcoa Primary Metals provided $3,000 to help with that project, and employees of Alcoa  moved the fence around the dog’s area to make their  play yard larger.

            Many people have been involved with the work of the Humane Society of Clark County, and they include some who have volunteered for many years. Others helped at one time or another, and some of them have long since left the area. It would be impossible to compile a complete list of those who have played a role in the society’s formation and continued success. We hope their satisfaction in seeing a job well done will be thanks enough for all their work.

“A lot of struggle, sweat, tears and hard work have kept the shelter open. It almost closed in June 2008 due to lack of donations, and the need continues,” Helms said. The shelter receives no tax dollars.

  The HCSS will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a festival Oct. 24 at the Clark County Fairgrounds. A variety of activities are planned, including a dog walk, petting zoo, “flea” market and much more. More information about the celebration will be available later through local media outlets.