City of Cape renews Humane Society arrangement

Thanks to a 7-0 vote of Cape Girardeau City Council on Monday, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri will continue to provide boarding, care and disposal services for animals in the city in 2021 at a cost of $64,260, a 2% increase.

“We’ve had a good, longstanding relationship with the Humane Society,” said Cape Girardeau city manager Scott Meyer.

“They have rising costs and we understand this,” he added.

Charlotte Boyce Craig, board president of the local Humane Society, said the organization has had agreements with the city since the early 1990s.

The local Humane Society, at 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau, also has service agreements with the City of Jackson and Cape Girardeau and Perry counties.

“Normally, we’ll take in over 2,000 animals a year, and half are from Cape city,” said Tracy Poston, the group’s executive director, who noted approximately 60% of the shelter’s intake are dogs.

“The rest are cats, mainly, but we do occasionally have bunnies and birds,” she added, noting a recent arrival of a goat.

Pandemic realities

When COVID-19 took hold in March, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri went to an appointment-only system, which Poston indicates may become a permanent change.

“We’ve been handling adoptions outside, and for the most part, people are understanding,” she said.

Poston said the animal welfare industry in 2020 estimated a 26% decline in intake, a drop directly because of the health emergency.

“We do expect those numbers to rebound in 2021,” she continued.

New building

Poston is projecting a late October opening of the new $3.7 million education and adoption center, right next door to the current facility.

About $2 million has been raised to-date and Poston reported a $250,000 challenge match from donors Susan and Bill Bailey of Commerce, Missouri, was met, meaning the not-for-profit was able to realize a total of $500,000 to put toward the new structure.

“The roof is up, plumbing is being roughed in and concrete has been poured,” she said.