Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Good morning. This is Ben with Ben’s Pest Control podcast. And today we’re doing another episode of our local business spotlight feature. And we’re lucky enough to have a guest with us, Miss Shannon Glendenning. So welcome, Shannon. And why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi, I’m Sharon Glendenning. I work at the Humane Society St. Lucie County. At the Humane Society. I’m responsible for marketing and fundraising. I help with our event planning. And whenever I am able to help bring in money allows us to help care for the hundreds of animals in our care. I went to University of the Cumberlands for my bachelor’s degree, which I got in Business Administration in Spanish. And then I continued my education there to get my Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing.
Awesome. Now, just a question. I’m going to be honest, I didn’t know this, but I went on to the website when you decide to come in. When did the shelter become a no kill shelter? That’s, that’s great.
So in 2019, we actually got new leadership, new management, and we moved all operations to Port St. Lucie. And with that move and change in leadership, we proudly became a no kill shelter. And we’ve been operating as not only a no kill shelter, but one of the highest percentage no kill shelters in the country.
Wow, that’s amazing. Now, I’m going to say this, and maybe you don’t know. But I’m going to ask. I happen to notice when I was driving down past Martin County, they are also no kill shelter. I don’t know if you have any information about that. But I was like, oh, maybe most of the shelters are going to this, which is obviously a great thing. Do you know anything about that?
I believe he means it. The church Coast has been a no kill shelter for a lot longer than we have. I knew that. Not all shelters are. And I know in these times, it’s really hard to become a no kill shelter purely because our area especially is struggling with pet overpopulation. As an open admission shelter. When you’re just taking an animal after animal after animal, it’s really hard to become a no kill shelter if you aren’t already. I know sunrise humane society isn’t one. But you never know. I know that St. Lucie County is actually opening a new Humane Society. And so with the opening of a new one, maybe both sunrise mean society and the new one will be able to both be no kill shelters.
Awesome. Sorry, then. I know Shannon Bradley wasn’t prepared for that question. But she got down a path. And I was like, whoa, wait a second, that reminded me of something. So how many animals would you say you guys have in the shelter currently.
So at the beginning of the year, we had about 107 dogs, and about 211 cats, which is a huge jump because back in 2019. Or maybe it was 2020. Right before COVID hit. I think we only had about 27 dogs and less than 100 cats. So dogs were able to actually have full runs of kennels. And now unfortunately, we have all our dogs in half kennels. So they’re not able to have the space that they used to have. We have dogs staying in recovery. We have a couple dogs in our conference room. We do everything we can to help as many as we’re able.
You know, I’ve got to say that. It’s something that I will admit I’m completely ignorant to I’ve been to the shelter a few times we’ve adopted dogs from the shelter. But I grew up watching the wheel of fortune with Bob Barker discussing spay and neuter your pets. And I think, you know, as a person, you you assume that people are taking the responsible actions, but obviously that’s not the case. If the numbers in the shelter are still as high as what you know, you’re telling me I’m I’m completely shocked. I don’t think I should be shocked because I know there have been times the shelters are just packed. But, you know, I would hope that the people listening, take the responsible actions and get their pets spayed or neutered. Obviously, it’s extremely important. So we don’t have the overpopulation. Now, one of the things we’re trying to do is highlight the activities that the shelter has going on. You just recently had an event pretty close to our office. I know that my daughter and was able to go Why don’t you tell us a little bit about that event.
So we recently had an event at side door Brewing Company. It’s a cute little brewery right down the road. And our mayor Mayor Martin was actually able to be a special guest bartender. It was a super successful event where side door brewing donated a portion of every single sale to ice Mayor Martin donated all the tips that she made that night to us. And we also had many raffle prizes to give away at the end of the night, which were able, we were able to sell raffle tickets. And by the end of the night, we were actually able to raise about $1,000, which is really cool. Like every amount helps because it all goes to the animals in our care. We always like to say that we provide a higher level of care. Events like this allow us to be able to partner with a certified animal behaviorist and trainer who helps us evaluate all our dogs. We have a specific enrichment team who enriches the dogs not only physically but mentally, to help make their state the best we can make it.
Wow, that sounds like it was a great event. According to Hannah, it was awesome. I know she brought in, I believe gifts for the Humane Society and hopefully other people did too. So along with the $1,000 Hopefully you got some other gifts. Now, the Humane Society has some important events coming up that the community can do to help support the Humane Society and they’re taking care of the animals. Why don’t you tell us about some of the events coming up?
So we actually have an event tomorrow, February 2, at selfish Brewing Company, selfish brewery. They’re doing a company bought a keg of White Marlin. And so for every White Marlin sold, the a portion of it will go to the Humane Society. We’ll have adoptable dogs there. It’ll be a really great event as well. We also have our golf tournament coming up. So it’s par for paws charity golf tournament. It’s at trading Golf Club, which is part of Club Med in Port St. Lucie. We still have a couple of sponsorship opportunities. We have a couple foursomes left, it’ll be a really great event for the community. I know that a lot of community members are already signing up to calm we have tons of giveaways for we’ll have a barrel of cheer. It’ll be full Yeti filled with tons of booze to give away. It’ll be a really great event that we hope everyone comes out to. We also have our blue jean ball on March 19. And that will be our signature premiere fundraiser of the year. It’ll have a silent auction, it’ll have a casino it’ll, it’s going to be a great event for all our sponsors who come in for everyone who participates. It actually is a sold out event. So we’re really the community just really showed out for that already. April 3, we have Luke day, which is an adoption event. In Memorial Park and Stewart, it’s going to have food trucks and vendors and adoptable dogs and kittens their their adoptable dogs we walking all around will have kittens that are 10 It’s going to be a really great event for the community. And we haven’t really done an event in store before. So we’re really excited for it.
Wow, that’s, that’s amazing. I mean, it’s great that all these events are being supported like the blue jean ball I, I had seen it online, but you’re already sold out. I mean, that’s, that’s fantastic. Hopefully we can help get a few more people on to the golf event. Because being full is is a huge thing because you raise the maximum amount of money. Now the golf event is Do you know is that a best ball tournament?
So we are doing a couple different prizes for it. So first, there’s six place we’ll all get a prize. We also are going to be doing a putting contest there. We will be doing a closest to the whole prize. We’ll be doing a longest drive prize. So there’s tons of opportunities to be leaving the event with generous prizes that have all been donated from our community partners.
All right. Great information for the Humane Society to share. You know I would say that I was surprised today to find out that we have
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
