AAWS depends on volunteers, donations to run no-kill shelter

Abraham Lincoln once joked that, “No matter how much cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens."
He could have said the same about puppies.
In this parish, there are few facilities in place to address the problem of strays, unwanted pets and -- in the most extreme cases -- animals that are victims of abuse and neglect. Avoyelles Animal Welfare Society (AAWS) operates a no-kill shelter in Cottonport. Since its creation on Sept. 22, 2012, it has been the “go to” source for people seeking to adopt a dog or cat as a family pet or to find a refuge for a stray or unwanted pet.
On Sept. 24, AAWS will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a fundraising 2-mile walk in Cottonport.
“Registration is $20 and participants can walk with their dogs,” AAWS Vice President Darlene Gormsen said.
AAWS is a private, non-profit organization. Chris Burke is the president of the organization. It is not affiliated with any state, parish or municipal government and receives no public funding.
“We rely solely on our members’ dues, donations and volunteers to run the program,” she said.
Individuals can register online or by calling 318-876-2068.
At this time, the shelter has 17 cats and 35 dogs.

Over-capacity
“We are over-capacity,” she said. “We charge a $25 drop-off fee and we keep a wait list of people wanting us to accept their animals into the shelter. We try to follow that list, but we can’t always do it because so many people just drop animals off at our door.”
The shelter is open 8 a.m. to noon every day. The afternoon shift varies depending on availability of volunteers. Those interested in visiting the shelter for adoption of an animal can for an appointment and someone will meet them at the shelter.
She said volunteers arrived at the shelter one morning to find 12 puppies left at the door.
“We have signs that notify the public that it is against the law to drop off or abandon an animal, but it hasn’t stopped them from doing it,” Gormsen added.
The small shelter is expanding its “cat room,” which will allow it to hold a few more felines, but not nearly large enough to meet the demand. There are 10 kennels to hold the dogs. Some can hold two or three dogs. Others can only hold one, to accommodate dogs such as pit bulls or other dogs that are too aggressive to be housed with another dog.
“We are a no-kill shelter,” Gormsen said. “That means we never give up on the animal. We have some dogs that have been with us since Day One.
“We do what we can, but we can’t help everyone.”
Gormsen said AAWS receives many calls about animal cruelty from concerned citizens who do not know what to do about those situations.
“We call the Sheriff’s Office and they check on those complaints,” Gormsen said.
She said there are more calls about alleged mistreatment or neglect of horses than many might expect.
Gormsen said she enjoys working with AAWS and trying to secure corporate sponsors and donations for the program.
“It’s not all fun and games, though,” she continued. “It’s hard work.”
While she appreciates the “AAWSome” volunteers that give of their time and funds to help the animals, she understands that it the work is not suited to everyone.
“Sometimes people volunteer to work with the animals , but then quit when they see what needs to be done,” she said.
Gormsen said her employer, Paragon Casino Resort, has been very supportive of the shelter for the past four years, making periodic cash donations throughout the year.
“Casino employees donate supplies and money to the program,” she said. “We are always needing blankets, pet bowls, collars, etc.”
Walmart in Alexandria has been helping the shelter by donating bags of pet food that have burst and cannot be sold.
Gormsen said there will always be unfortunate cases of animals who wander away from their homes and become strays.
Responsible pet owners can help reduce the problem by spaying and neutering their animals as soon as they reach maturity. This will prevent unwanted kittens and puppies that either end up killed on the roads or growing up to produce even more unwanted animals. All animals adopted through AAWS are neutered and spayed with all of their vaccinations.
The only thing missing is a family -- and that’s the one thing donors and volunteers can’t do for the tenants in the shelter.
That’s a job for someone else.