You may not think spaying and neutering your pets is a big deal. However, “fixing” your pets will reduce the amount of stray animals on the streets and in the animal shelter. The PAWS-itive Partners Humane Society has helped change the lives of nearly 3,900 cats and hundreds of dogs in the North Platte area. Zoey Hall is a North Platte High School senior by day and animal superhero by night. “The biggest thing that has kept me going is when I see a cat or a dog that looks malnourished, and they transform into an entire new dog or cat,” she said.
Hall started as a volunteer for PAWS-itive Kids when she was a little girl. “I probably got involved when I was 8 or 9, the guidance counselor knew my love for animals,” said Hall. “You get to meet a lot of new people with new experiences and raise money to help petowners pay to spay and neuter.” Hall has always been a dedicated animal lover. In PAWS-itive Kids, she made beds and toys for shelter cats and helped author [the] Paws-itive Kids Activity book,” said Jo Mayber, PAWS-itive Partners president. Hall has been an active member and has never missed a meeting, “[Zoey] became a role model to younger PAWS-itive members and was always eager to help monthly meetings,” said Mayber. Hall and her family have also adopted two shelter dogs of their own.
The organization started in 1988 as a small group with 20 active members. Since then, adoption rates have gone up and the amount of volunteers has also increased. For the past two years, PAWS-itive Partners has teamed up with the North Platte Animal Shelter to reduce the amount of animal euthanization. “We [the organization] actually haven’t put down any pets [since November 2013],” said Hall. Last spring, they raised money with the Love My Cat campaign to collaborate with local veterinarians to spay/neuter stray, feral, and house cats. They also set out to help often abandoned pit bulls avoid the shelter with the Be Responsi-Bull program. PAWS-itive Partners has helped sterilize 54 pit bulls.
To find out how you can volunteer, visit the PAWS-itive Partners Humane Society Facebook page to learn about how you can help the animals in need. “It’s always great for young people to get involved,” said Susan Kubart, vice president of the organization. “If they see any fundraisers, go to it. Call shelters for the animals that are in need of help or are in distress,” she said. Hall said it’s helpful to donate food or money to help pays in need, but fixing your pets is a must. “The biggest thing is to encourage your parents, peers, and other family members to spay and neuter your pets,” she said.