To the Editor:
It’s that time of the year when we are reminded to be thankful for all that we have and challenged to do more for others. We, the students in Senatobia High School’s sophomore creative writing class, share our experiences with the Senatobia-Tate County Animal Shelter to encourage individuals and families in our community to do more. The biggest lesson we learned is that the more we gave to the shelter, the more we received in turn. We have been changed through service and the gifts of time and love, and we want others to experience the reciprocal give and get of community service.
Our project began with research on animal shelters. In class we made fliers and discussed what shelters provided to communities—often on tight or nearly non-existent budgets. We learned that shelters rely on volunteers and donations from individuals and groups to care for the lost, the abandoned, and the abused animals. However, it wasn’t until we visited the Senatobia-Tate County Animal Shelter that any of this became real. There are real consequences for how careless some people can be towards the animals in their care.
Despite what we may have thought, animals in shelters are not aggressive or bad in any way. Animal control officers aren’t the bad guys either. There aren’t any villains at the shelter. Instead, shelter workers care for the animals that don’t have anyone else to care for them. Being at the shelter made us realize that all dogs and cats need a loving home. They deserve to be treated right and loved by people. Even if someone can’t adopt an animal, the shelter needs money, toys, food, and cleaning supplies. Animals in the shelter need everyone. They need your help; they need all the help they can get. They will gladly repay you for your kindness. One of our group Kiersten McClatchy made a connection with an orange tabby named Murf. She talks about him daily, even two weeks later. She said, “I went to open his kennel, he climbed on me and gave me all the cat kisses he could.”
Adoption is important, but fostering is important, too. Every animal deserves a good home even when waiting for a forever home. They deserve a home where they are free and loved by a family. If fostering and adoption are not an option for your family, remember that there are many ways to give.
1. Walk dogs.
2. Wash towels and bedding.
3. Donate food, toys, and cleaning supplies.
4. Play with kittens and cats.
5. Give a dog a bath.
6. Play fetch and tug of war with dogs.
7. Donate funds for medical care.
8. Like and follow the shelter on Facebook.
9. Designate the shelter as your charity on Amazon Smile.
10. Show up.
Thank you,
Jaylon Bowen, Kennedy Corley, Landen Crossman, Sam’Travious Echols, Savanna Hudspeth, Teionna Jones, Tyler Mabry, Kiersten McClatchy, Jacki Porter, & Pariss Taylor
