Being visible in the community pays off. The Butler County Humane Society is learning that lesson as funds continue to roll in for its endeavors.

“We had great results with our booth at Calico Fort,” said president Herbert Morton. “We brought back $864 raised, including a very generous donation by a gentleman from out of town who admires and supports what we are trying to do.”

Even four months into 2010, the organization is still selling its first pet calendar. “At $5 per calendar, folks are buying them now just for all those great pictures,” Morton said.

Another $195 from calendar sales was picked up from Grayson’s in Greenville.

“Once tax season is over, the board needs to meet and look at ways we can best use our funds to educate the public and heighten the awareness of the need for more spaying and neutering,” Morton said.

“We are raising more than enough monies to fund the day-to-day operations of the shelter and our fund for the Second Chance shelter is growing. Now we need to look toward creating the same situation in Butler County they have in Maine, where they actually have to bring in adoptable pets from other parts of the country because they have wide-spread implementation of spaying and neutering.”

Something else on the wish list of the BCHS: land for their proposed no-kill shelter.

“We are looking for a property owner who would be willing to donate land within the Greenville city limits to this great cause,” Morton said. “We’d like to get the word out there to keep us under consideration.”

An outbreak of illness similar to the parvo virus has struck some of the puppies and older dogs at the Greenville Animal Shelter, animal control officer Janeen Mosley reported. The BCHS agreed to look into purchasing testing kits for the virus and donating them to the shelter, and to provide treatment for tapeworms for eight puppies at the shelter and three being fostered at Kandys Killough’s home.

The BCHS is also purchasing cardboard carriers for the shelter to use for puppies and kittens, and looking into electrical plug additions at the shelter to allow use of fans to cool the outdoor runs during the summer.

Mosley reported the officer training in animal control offered last month was “very helpful with good, practical information.” The organization hopes to offer a second round of training in the fall.

Three BCHS members were also recognized and presented with plaques for their contributions to animal welfare: Brenda Whitney, Annie Crenshaw and Kandys Killough.

Fran Stallworth presented an unusual hand-stitched Alabama quilt created by a Muscle Shoals resident to the BCHS. The quilt will be on display at The Smokehouse with raffle tickets offered at $1 each.

The Butler County Humane Society currently meets the second Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at Old Mexico. Anyone interested in animal welfare is invited to join; no membership fees are charged.