Photo courtesy of Lee Angela Garate.
Dermie Cropp helps decorate the dog kennels at Shelby Humane Society.
The animals at the Shelby Humane will be receiving a special treat this Christmas Eve.
On Dec. 24, the cats and dogs at the shelter will enjoy a holiday feast of chicken, turkey, peas, green beans and carrots served on Christmas themed plates. They will also receive Christmas themed blankets as a gift.
LeeAngela Garate, Public Relations Manager for Shelby Humane, said there will be around 10 to 15 volunteers to help set up and serve the animals lunch.
“We wanted to spread a bit of cheer amongst our supporters, as well as something special for the animals,” Garate said.
Leading those volunteers will be Peggy Cropp and her son Dermie. Dermie, a sophomore at Briarwood Christian School, had to do a leadership project and this was what he chose. Cropp has also been involved in animal welfare for years and is passing that on to her son.
Cropp said this project is something that she has been wanting to do for several years. She said Dermie has taken the lead, secured the blankets, cat scratchers and a radio for the cat room to play classical music. Friends and family have donated money and other items to help this event become a reality.
“I took Dermie to shelter last Saturday and it was a game changer for him to understand the volume of what he’s doing and the impact of what it will do for the animals,” Cropp said.
Each animal also has decorations on their kennels, ball wreaths for the dogs and stockings with pipe cleaner for the cats.
Shelby Humane is also offering a December adoption special. Once someone adopts an animal, they can pick an ornament off the Christmas tree in the lobby to find out their special adoption fee.
“For us at Christmas, this is a time for us to celebrate the dogs and cats in our building,” Garate said. “We want this meal to the animals to represent our mission.”
For those who would like to make donations to the shelter, monetary ones can be made online, and they also have a wishlist of items they need including food, litter, toys, leashes and more.
Cropp said that people don’t realize they don’t have to completely commit and adopt a pet to help. They can volunteer at the shelter, donate money or other items to help.
As for the special Christmas Eve event, Cropp said she hopes this is the beginning of an annual tradition for years to come.
To make a monetary donation, text 41444. Due to COVID-19, Shelby Humane has implemented appointment only for adoptions, but donations can be left at the front door. For information on how to donate or volunteer at Shelby Humane, visit shelbyhumane.org.
