St. Landry Parish Animal Control employees describe their rural shelter as “small in size but big in heart”—and their actions during the August 2016 flood that swept through Louisiana certainly warrant this description. Lending out supplies and kennels to neighboring shelters, St. Landry Parish Animal Control employees spent days working around the clock to ensure animals without shelter were housed safely within their small building. The shelter stretched its limited resources during the flood, which is why when recent structural problems arose, the building was forced to close its doors—the small shelter simply didn’t have the funds to pay for its own critical repairs.
To throw a lifeline to the struggling shelter, American Humane awarded St. Landry Parish Animal Control a $20,000 grant today, which will allow for the repair of the crumbling insulation and harmful drainage issues that caused the shelter to temporarily shutter its doors. The repairs needed are crucial for the safety of animal residents at the shelter—currently, insulation from the damaged ceiling drops onto dog beds and in their food bowls, and drainage issues have caused a backwash of spills within the shelter kennels.
The grant money will immediately be used to begin repairs at St. Landry Parish Animal Control, and will also fund temporary kennels for the animals to live in while construction the structure and drainage issues are fixed. In addition, the grant money from American Humane will be used to increase the size of and improve their cat room. The room, which currently has no windows or doors, severely limits the ability for the cats to move around freely and gives them no access to the outdoors at all. The shelter plans to add a doorway to the room and outdoor playground for the cats to roam around.
Following the devastating flooding in Louisiana, American Humane sent its animal rescue team and two giant rescue vehicles to help pets in hard-hit Livingston Parish. You can read about those efforts here and here. They also worked with Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to deliver 80,000 pounds of nutritious, free food to shelter animals in Louisiana. Now, to help support and rebuild these vital institutions, American Humane is providing a series of major grants during April.
When asked about their efforts helping neighbors during the floods, St. Landry Parish Animal Control simply stated, “We did all we could to help as many as we could.” And now, thanks to the $20,000 grant from American Humane, they can continue this selfless motto in a soon-to-be updated building that will house hundreds of local cats and dogs awaiting their forever homes.
“It takes compassion to help an animal that has no voice,” said St. Landry Parish Animal Control Director Stacey Alleman. “It takes understanding to daily mend the unwanted. It takes hope that someone will hear the humane need for help for the animals. American Humane, by giving St. Landry this grant has become so much more than HELP…they have become the HOPE that each animal here was desperate for. Thank you for hearing our heart’s wishes, allowing our work to continue, and allowing our animals comfort and hope for homes!”
