Humane association sponsors animal events

The Monroe County Humane Association will sponsor several events this weekend in the Bloomington area.

On Saturday, the organization will participate in Animal Reading Friends at the Monroe County Public Library, and it will also have a separate low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic. Any pet owner can call the main line for MCHA to make an appointment.

Animal Reading Friends is a program where the organization brings in therapy dogs that kids can read to in order to encourage literacy and to make reading fun, said Sarah Hayes, the chief executive officer for MCHA.

“Research has shown that children reluctant to read actually read better with an animal,” she said.

During this program, kids will pick a book and read it with a dog. The program has been going on for at least five years.

The low-cost vaccination clinic is to encourage people in the area to keep their pets’ shots up to date.

Hayes said in upcoming weeks, they will be able to provide no-cost shots to pets for families who qualify.

“We actually received a large grant from the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,) and we will be providing free shots for the community,” she said.

Although programs like this are important to MCHA, Hayes said this is not all the organization does.

The members also participate in dog fighting and cock fighting raids and puppy mill rescues, as well as lobby for animal rights bills.

Hayes said they are currently lobbying for two bills: one that would make dog fighting illegal and one that would allow people on Medicaid to receive funding to spay or neuter their pets. They are also lobbying against a bill that would make canned hunting, or the hunting of hand-raised animals in a closed environment, illegal.

“Hunters go pay to shoot them,” Hayes said. “It takes out the aspect of fair chase, which isn’t giving any advantage to the hunters.”

Hayes said, above all, the organization exists to spread awareness of how to treat animals humanely and to protect animals.

“Animal welfare is not only homeless cats and dogs,” Hayes said. “That is one aspect of the greater picture.”

— Hannah Smith