Carroll County Employment

Some pets are so loved they are considered part of the family. Others are abandoned and mistreated by owners with little understanding of the trauma they have caused the animals.

Sandy Kilby and Cyndi Disser know this all too well as they are board members of the non-profit organization called the Humane Society of St. Clair County/SNAP, a new humane society opening in China Township. The four-letter acronym linked to the name of the society is short for spay, neuter, adopt, protect. The title highlights the societys mission to raise awareness and supply low-cost services for cats and dogs.

The women are currently helping to get the China Township facility up and running, after the building became available because of a generous donation from fellow animal lover Dorothea Knight. Thanks to Knight, the center will be able to address some of the real needs in pet ownership.

She had the building gifted to us, Kilby said. Weve had a great public response. The ideas are endless.

The office is at 6177 Fred Moore Highway, between Wadhams and I-94. Kilby said they want to work collaboratively with both the St. Clair County Sheriffs Animal Control in Port Huron Township and the Blue Water Area Humane Society in Clyde, located on the north end of the county, as well as Macomb County animal shelters.

The building is still being renovated, according to the strict specifications for facilities that house animals, but the phone was in place, until recently. Once they got their phone installed, a deluge of calls immediately began coming in and Kilby said they had it temporarily turned off until they are able to address each call. Kilby expects to have the facility ready for its first event, a Rabies Vaccine Fair, later in the month. The rest of the work will continue for a month or so.

The fair is at 10 am to 3 pm on Jan. 28 and is open for both St. Clair and Macomb County dog and cat owners. Kilby said dog owners can get their pets their mandatory 2012 dog license and rabies vaccine for $20 to $30, depending if the animal has been fixed.

Humane Society of St. Clair County/SNAP is listed in the yellow pages and a Facebook page is in place; a website is also being created.

Kilby and the Pet Place owner Jamie Sides have worked together in not only providing a low-cost veterinary service, but providing affordable transportation from All About Animals Rescue in Warren. Sides said they send a van to her store to pick up the animals for neutering and spaying. They can take 40 animals at a time and the fee is $86 for dogs and $46 for cats.

Dissers daughter, Jenna Disser, and friend Emma Karpinski help out in pet adoptions and education. Continued…

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