While 2021 was a struggle in so many ways, we here at Brown County Humane Society have so much to be thankful for. And, our gratitude is made possible only because of your shared compassion for homeless animals. Here are just a few things you made possible last year.
Thanks to the generosity of our community of supporters, volunteers and advocates, BCHS achieved a save rate of over 98% for 2021. This marks our fifth consecutive year with a save rate of 98% or more which far surpasses our national average of approximately 83%. Thank you for your help to make our little shelter one of the leading shelters in the country!
It wasn’t just shelter pets that received assistance last year. Thanks to the continued efforts of our Serving Pets Outreach Program (SPOT), hundreds of families received assistance for their pets including spay/neuter surgeries, food assistance and bales of straw to keep outside pets warm. In total, over 600 dogs and cats were spayed/neutered last year preventing thousands of unwanted pets in our community. Nearly 10,000 pounds of food were also provided to help struggling families keep their pets in their homes. In 2022, we look forward to the return of our Rabies and Vaccine Clinic to further assist pets in Brown County.
Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, each of our three special events generated more revenue than they ever have before. In total, the Dawg Gone Walk & Fiesta, Barn Sale and Chocolate Walk generated over $130,000 in revenue, which is about four months of expenses to support the animals in our care. We continue to be amazed by the outpouring of support from our community.
Finally, speaking of being amazed, 2021 saw the opening of our new shelter! We were thrilled to share this facility with you at our grand opening in July and have enjoyed every minute we have spent in it since then. This facility has created a more welcoming environment for visitors and staff alike. It has also allowed for community groups, like a recent girl scout troop (pictured), to visit and learn more about the animals we serve. We cannot wait to see what 2022 brings.
All of these achievements are thanks to you. Whether you dropped off a bag of food, attended one of our events, made a monetary donation, adopted or contributed in some other way, you are what made it possible to save over 700 lives in 2021. Thank you and Happy New Year!