ROCK SPRINGS — The Red Desert Humane Society has moved forward with the election of several new board members, and the shelter has hired two new staff members as well.
Heidi Hernandez will now be the new shelter manager, and she comes with nearly a decade of experience as a vet tech working at Mountainaire Animal Clinic. Sharon Croy has also taken over as the new cleaner of the animal shelter. Hernandez and Croy join current office assistant Mary Bird.
Officer elections also took place with Steve Shea elected as the new Humane Society president, Paul Parker will continues as vice-president Janet Pearrow continues as Treasurer and Melinda Baas will serving as the new secretary.
New members include Stephanie Green, Cember Sager, and Beckie Jeffery while Holly Michaelis, Virginia Bodyfelt, and Suzannah Gambell Robinson return to their positions on the board.
Tough Winter
The shelter made it through a difficult winter that kept the grounds and parking lot buried in snow for several months. Despite the double snow fences, drifts piled up so that dogs in the front yards could have walked over the eight-foot boundary fence with little effort.
The parking lot was inaccessible until Stephanie and Mark Lyon dug it out with a backhoe. After the snow finally melted, Mark again showed up and spread the 25 tons of gravel the shelter purchased to reduce the amount of mud between Yellowstone Road and the front door of the shelter.
Animal adoptions were slow through the rough winter months—people often don’t want to yard train a new dog in the winter or visit a snowbound shelter, according to an official release from the RDHS.
“We have a couple of dogs that have been there for quite a while. Several events are being conducted to find them their “forever homes,” as well as some additional behavior training,” said Shea. “New manager Heidi, me and Animal Control Officer Mike Kiggins, will join together on Thursdays for meetings on potential adoptions from the city to the shelter.”
Shea also said Michaelis will continue to spearhead fund raising efforts. Currently the “Black Tie Non-Event” is underway—a great opportunity for people to contribute to the shelter without having to show up for an entire evening.
“Other events include the Mutt Putt Golf Tournament, the Fur Ball, and next year’s Purse Auction,” Shea continued. “The board and staff are looking forward to serving our function in the animal and pet control world here in the Red Desert.”
Shelter hours in the next few weeks will be from noon to 6:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Appointments can be made for other weekday times during normal business hours by calling (307) 362-1636.
