NORTH VERNON — If you have a couple of free hours and you would like to do something to help Jennings County’s needy furry friends, the Mercy Rescue and Adoption group could use your help.
Mercy Rescue and Adoption is a private nonprofit organization devoted to saving dogs and cats who have been marked for possible euthanasia.
“We are these cats and dogs last chance for survival and we do need some help from the community,” said Martha Landry, a volunteer and the secretary for the organization.
The goal of the group is to restore pets to health and then find good homes to adopt them. They also have a foster home program for the animals while they are waiting for a permanent home.
“It is an amazing thing to find an animal in the worst of condition and then to watch the animal improve to be in the best of condition,” Mercy director Anne Poore said.
Located near Scipio, the shelter cares for animals that Jennings County Animal Control cannot provide for because of veterinarian expenses or other issues.
Animals are in good health, spaded and vaccinated before they are placed in their new home.
Directors Jamie and Anne Poore live on the shelter’s grounds. The Poores, like most of the organization’s volunteers, have full-time jobs in addition to the time spent at the shelter.
“We need people who can come and play with the animals and give them some individual attention,” Landry said.
Help is also needed to clean cages, bathe the animals and prepare food. In addition, the shelter needs more volunteers to help get the animals ready to be transported to Indianapolis for pre-arranged spaying.
The organization was founded in 2005. By 2006, after becoming acquainted with the problem of overpopulation of animals in Jennings County, a major focus became the development of a program to help make affordable spaying operations available for more pet owners.
By 2012, the group had organized an a whole system of transporting animals to Indianapolis for an affordable spaying surgery,
Now, the organization has facilitated the spaying of more than 7,000 animals.
“The spaying operations slowed down during COVID because we lost the company that transported the cats and dogs to Indianapolis,” Anne said. “But now we have a new transportation company and things are moving ahead very well.”
She said many aspects of their work also slowed during COVID because more people were home with their animals and watching them closer to keep them from becoming injured and also noticing early signs of illness.
“Now that we are getting back to work and other activities the animals can find more ways to get into trouble — and we are back into full swing,” Landry said. “We would ideally like to have crews of two people to work together for around two hours at a time during the morning, or afternoon or evening hours.”
Kids aged 10 through 16 can volunteer at the shelter, but they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Ages 16 through the senior year of high school are also free to volunteer at the shelter during prearranged times.
“The kids are very eager to do what they can to help at the shelter and they are very good with the animals,” Anne said. “Even if someone can only donate two hours a month, it is a very big help.”
Anyone who would like to help the animals but cannot come in person, can also donate pet food or other pet-care items.
“We also can always use financial donations,” Anne said. “Some of the animals require expensive veterinarian care, spaying and vaccinations. “We are very blessed to have the volunteers and community that is devoted to help us help the animals.”
A full-time math teacher at Jennings County High School, Anne Poore also noted that “kids are “a very powerful force” in helping to protect and serve the animal population, citing the recent contribution of the high school wrestling team. She said several youth groups have also helped at the shelter, as well as created fundraising projects.
“We are very blessed with the help we have also received from local adult organizations in the community,” said Poore, “because our expenses are enormous.”
To donate time or treasure, call 812-592-5558 or 812-346-1001.
The shelter is located at 6870 West County Road 300N in North Vernon.
