Humane Society of Greene County ‘a happy place’
Jane Gapen, director of the HSGC, enjoys a quiet moment with her best co-worker, Gem. Gem was a rescue and staple at the humane society until her passing in 2011, but her legacy lives on through the organization鈥檚 work. (Photo courtesy of Jane Gapen)
Because many annual events were postponed due to the pandemic, the 2022 Humane Society of Greene County calendar is the non-profit鈥檚 major fundraiser this year. Calendars are available for purchase on the humane society鈥檚 web site.
The Humane Society of Greene County is more than a refuge for the neglected, the cold, the sick.
HSGC is a happy place.
鈥淚 have agility equipment, outside play areas,鈥� said Jane Gapen, who has served as executive director since 1995. 鈥淎nimals need exercise to keep their stress levels down, so they don鈥檛 get sick. I don鈥檛 want animals in cages. You need to make a humane society a happy place.鈥�
The humane society, located along Jefferson Road in Waynesburg, welcomes and houses any animal in need, Gapen said. Staff and volunteers care for and do their best to match animals with families and individuals whose needs and lifestyles complement one another.
鈥�(HSGC) takes in all animals in need 鈥� abused, stray. We rehabilitate them, get the vet care that they need, re-home,鈥� said Gapen. 鈥淲e also investigate animal cruelty and prosecute it.鈥�
A part-time humane officer investigates animal abuse and neglect. Staff also helps families struggling to provide for pets and shelters animals whose families can no longer care for them.
鈥淲e not only help animals, we help people,鈥� Gapen said. 鈥淔or every animal we help, there鈥檚 a family on the end of that animal that we try to help.鈥�
Outreach efforts include education and post-adoption assistance. Pet owners can purchase dog licenses at the humane society, too.
Gapen said besides loving homes, the humane society is always in need of dog and cat food, laundry detergent and blue Dawn dish soap (to clean fleas off neglected or abused animals).
Donations can be made at any time to the donation box outside the humane society.
鈥淩ural humane societies typically don鈥檛 have a lot. The animals don鈥檛 get what the city shelters can provide,鈥� said Gapen. 鈥淗istorically, humane societies do great in the cities; there鈥檚 loads of people there, loads of businesses. We have to raise money to exist.鈥�
Last year, HSGC was unable to hold its annual fundraising events and is relying on 2022 calendar sales and recurring donations to keep the nonprofit running smoothly next year.
The bright, cheerful calendars filled with photos of happily-adopted pets can be purchased for $30 online at https://greenepet.org/product/2022-humane-society-of-green-county-lottery-calendar/.
To make a one-time or recurring monthly donation, visit https://greenepet.org/donations/.
鈥淭o be able to get (animals) in here 鈥� they鈥檙e starving and they鈥檙e injured 鈥� to get them in here, get them warm, get them food, it just makes my staff happy. Whenever they go out the door to a new family, everybody here is just 鈥� it鈥檚 like a birthday party. The joy. So many people are happy,鈥� said Gapen. 鈥淚 want to help people, and I want to help animals.鈥�