The Logical Lizard

I recently authored a piece about the HOPE animal shelter at 2011 East 12th Street and I am writing about them again today because my favorite local charity is in dire straits.

On Monday evening HOPE held an emergency financial meeting for their staff and some senior volunteers. Executive Director Susan Scherl announced that the shelter’s bank balance was $6,000. With an operating budget of $10,000 to $15,000 dollars per month the future was looking very bleak. Susan also stated that no new animals could be taken in until the financial situation improved. And there are a lot of needy cats and dogs out there, especially in the summer.

These tiny kittens were admitted to the HOPE animal shelter shortly before they had to close their doors to additional animals in need. Photograph by Caroline Palmer.

As Susan explained to me in a telephone interview: “Our expenses may seem high, but we have a lot of special needs animals, and we spend a lot of money on those that need care. The more animals we take in the more have to be spayed and neutered. We’re no-kill and we take care of [our animals]. That’s where a lot of our money goes. We don’t have a lot of employees. At HOPE, money is not going to administrative costs.”

When you take into account that salaries and wages of employees at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona amounted to a staggering 2.4 million dollars in 2007 alone, it sort of puts HOPE’s operating budget in perspective [Source 2007 income tax return].

Fundraising efforts have been going on all week at HOPE, but both Susan and one of the volunteers I spoke with described current efforts as “only a bandaid.”

Older cats and dogs are less likely to be adopted than cute little kittens. Some have lived quietly at the shelter since it opened back in 2005. Photograph by Caroline Palmer.

Susan plans to move HOPE to a new location some day, but to do so they will need at least $100,000. “We want to have a sanctuary and some land for these animals. If there is somebody who is willing to step up and sponsor the shelter, I can provide financial information. We don’t want to stay in this place forever but if we don’t get a good amount of money, we’re never going to be able to get out of this space, and we won’t be able to save more animals than we are already saving.”

Susan reminded me that no donation is too small. A lot of their money goes to buying canned cat and dog food, and interested people can help by bringing in a case of food if they cannot make a monetary donation.

One of HOPE’s active volunteers said to me: “I don’t have any children. The animals at HOPE are my kids. I told my friends and co-workers ‘I’m never going to ask you to buy cookies or magazine subscriptions for my children’s school fund, so please help me with HOPE.’”

Well put, and I concur. I mailed in my check yesterday. If you can assist with a donation of any amount, please visit the HOPE Animal Shelter’s donation page. These are good people doing good work and they need your help today. HOPE is a special place and should be kept alive.

Please see their current photos of adoptable cats and dogs in Tucson.