Pet Project: Newly formed Mt. Vernon group looks to assist local stray animals

Mt. Vernon citizens have rallied to care for the un-housed animals at the city’s pound and organize under the group Pals of the Pound. The volunteer organization has yet to be classified as a non-profit, but that’s something they hope to change, according to Tiki Hunter who organizes the activities of the group.
 
The city’s pound currently consists of just a few cages near the city’s burn pile at the Public Works Department. The dogs that it houses can be there for multiple months, Hunter and the Pals are working to make them easier to adopt.
 
Hunter attributes the beginnings of this group to AnnMarie Little, a local senior citizen and animal lover. Hunter said that she and Little wanted to do something about the stray animals in the area, which can often threaten the safety of both humans and livestock. The city gave them the green light to assist.
 
“[The city] basically was saying, if you want to do something about it, then go for it,” said Hunter.
 
MVPD gets dog duty
The city’s pound has been operated by the Mt. Vernon Police Department for some time as, according to Hunter, the city was previously unaware whether volunteer workers would be covered by insurance. Volunteers have since stepped in and are helping to care for the animals. 
 
“We’re trying to make [adoption] a better, more user-friendly process,” said Hunter.
 
 
Adoption assistance push
One of their biggest drives is to help these animals get adopted. According to Hunter, Pals of the Pound is doing this by vaccinating, socializing and spaying and neutering animals to prepare them for their new home, rather than leave them in their cage with little chance of adoption.
 
To further the odds of adoption, the group has been promoting the dogs currently at the pound, hoping to get the word out about the reformed and newly vaccinated dogs.
 
The organization was able to raise more than $400 in donations in order to vaccinate dogs at the pound, but their work extends beyond that. Through work with non-profit, Stray Animals Matter, Hunter and others are working to address the city’s stray cat population, which currently has nowhere to go as the city pound only supports canines. 
 
“We’re trying to take care of the cat population here, as well,” said Hunter.
 
To do so, the Pals started a “Scraps for Traps” initiative, which saw the group gather up scrap metal to convert to cash and eventually to traps for local felines which they would transport to Stray Animals Matter.
 
The next steps, said Hunter, was to establish themselves as a non-profit group in the eyes of the IRS and to hopefully secure a headquarters for their new organization.
 
Hunter said that, ideally, she would like to lease a building from the city but that has not yet come to pass. 
 
To help
In the meantime, Pals of the Pound is still looking for volunteers, those interested in lending a hand should contact Hunter at 417-612-5877. 
 
Hunter added that in the near future, those needing community service hours will be able to assist Pals of the Pound to fulfill those requirements.