Help for the shelter

HARLINGEN — The city is reaching out with a big helping hand.

Earlier this week, city commissioners agreed to boost the city’s annual payment to the Harlingen Humane Society from $131,000 to $160,000 as part of a new three-year contract.

“It’s great that they’re coming to our aid,” Pat Turman-White, the Humane Society’s president, said yesterday.

Under the contract, the city will make monthly payments of $13,333.

To run its animal shelter, the Humane Society operates on an annual budget of $475,000, counting on the city’s annual $160,000 contribution as its only secured source of revenue.

The new contract comes about six months after Turman-White announced a financial crisis was forcing the society to cut back on programs such as spay and neutering services.

By May, the city had agreed to make an emergency one-time payment of $25,000 to pump money into the organization’s coffers.

Meanwhile, residents ramped up donations and launched fundraisers to help the animal shelter.

“The donations and fundraisers are doing their part to help sustain us,” Turman-White said. “But we can’t let it stop.”

From May through September, the society has raised $66,840 in donations and $29,831 through fundraisers.

“We’ve done tremendously,” board member Sharon Champagne said. “The outpouring from the community has been fabulous. It’s wonderful.”

Now, the city’s additional funding gives the organization some breathing room.

But the Humane Society’s monthly expenses are high, ranging from about $30,000 to $40,000.

Every year, the organization is faced with raising $344,000 to keep running.

And every month, Turman-White said, the organization counts on donations and fundraisers to pump at least $25,000 into coffers.

“It’s constant,” Turman-White said.

With a new board, the organization plans monthly fundraisers.

Next, Champagne’s business, Champagne’s Auto Service & Fabrication, is set for the organization’s next fundraiser, Champagne’s Seventh Annual Car Show & Rod Run.

“We really, really appreciate the community helping us,” Champagne said.

The community’s support is helping the shelter keep more and more stray dogs and cats alive.

In Harlingen, the numbers of euthanizations is sharply dropping.

Turman-White credits the organization’s program aimed at spaying and neutering stray dogs and cats.

In 2007, the Humane Society euthanized 8,100 dogs and cats.

Last year, that number dropped to 5,041.