by Dennis Dalman
The annual “Bark to the Future” fundraiser raised $51,000 for the Tri-County Humane Society at its Sept. 7 companion walk involving almost 500 people and 200 pets (mostly dogs) at St. Cloud’s Wilson Park.
“That’s just about what we were hoping to raise,” said Tauna Quimby, director of philanthropy for the humane society.
The money was raised via pledges to the walkers and by online donations on the humane society website. The proceeds from the fundraiser will be used for ongoing services and operations at the humane society shelter and some for the ongoing efforts to get enough money to build a badly needed new shelter.
The annual event included lots of family-and-pet-friendly activities, such as games, a silent auction, a dog-kissing booth, many vendors, music, socializing and – of course – the 5k walk through a neighborhood above Wilson Park on St. Cloud’s East Side. The morning began with the threat of rain, but it didn’t start falling until just before the event was about to end.
Tri-County Humane Society, an independent nonprofit organization, has been in continuous operation for Central Minnesota since it opened in 1974. Its long-time director is Vicki Davis.
In 2018, the humane society found homes for 3,123 animals – cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and more. Its adoption rate in recent years has been as high as 96 percent of all the animals it takes into its shelter. In addition, last year Tri-County Humane Society fostered 1,204 animals, had spayed/neutered 2,020 animals and hosted 45 spay/neuter clinics.
This summer, it opened a cat adoption center near downtown St. Cloud. Dubbed “Kitty Korner,” it is at the corner of Washington Memorial Drive and Minnesota Hwy 23.
Currently, the humane society has raised about $1.6 million for its $3.5-million goal to build a new shelter building on its current site in east St. Cloud. One of the organization’s current mottoes is “TCHS: Bursting with happiness but also bursting at the seams.”
To learn more about Tri-County Humane Society, how to adopt or to donate funds, visit its website at tricountyhumanesociety.org.
