By CARLA WILLIAMS, Staff Writer, cwilliams@minotdailynews.com

For almost 30 years, the Souris Valley Humane Society has been committed to the prevention of cruelty to animals in the Minot community.

In this tradition, the group is looking forward to 2007 with several new projects and a new board of directors to help guide them. Some of these projects include a cat socializing room, a pet-match program and a seniors-adopt-seniors program.

One of the biggest projects the Humane Society is taking on is a cat socializing room. The designs are complete to transform the current conference room into a cat haven complete with jungle gyms, climbing trees and toys. However, the endeavor to include the apparatus, paint and miscellaneous supplies are estimated around $750. People wishing to make donations to this special project can either drop them off at the shelter or mail them.

“The room will give our feline friends a chance to socialize with other cats,” said Kathy Sconyers, the executive director of the Souris Valley Humane Society. “It will give potential adopters a chance to see the cats in action and figure out which cat is best-suited to them and their families.”

Seniors-adopt-seniors is a program that places mature cats and dogs, typically 7 years of age or older, with qualified senior citizens who are 65 years old or older. The cost of this adoption program is $25 for a cat adoption and $35 for a dog adoption.

“Seniors-adopt-seniors allows for the older pets a chance to go to a good home that sometimes may be overlooked,” Sconyers said.

Sconyers also said that seniors age 65 years or older can also receive $5 off adoptions and can become a member of the Humane Society for $15.

Pet-match is the newest community service from the Humane Society. Sconyers said more than 150 animals are on the Humane Society’s waiting list to come into the shelter.

“Pet-match allows the waiting member to send in a picture and bio of their pet,” Sconyers said. “We post the information on our Web site enabling viewers’ access, to not only our sheltered animals, but also those waiting.”

Sconyers said other projects the Humane Society is also working on in the future include expanding its microchip program and developing a satellite adoption program.

New board

To help guide these projects, a new board of directors was recently elected at the Souris Valley Humane Society’s annual membership meeting. They include Judy Olson, president; Janice Sweeney, vice-president; Kristin Bien, secretary/treasurer and members Barbara Barron, Joy Straight-Sponsel, Mark Mattson, Tracie Schwab, Kristy Schaefer and Dave Lehner.

Also, at the Humane Society’s annual membership meeting recently, Sconyers told attending members that the Humane Society is becoming more like a business every day. Sconyers envisioned the Humane Society to become like a business with goals, visions and plans when she became the executive director back in June.

“We’re getting the place going like a business and turning things around,” Sconyers said. “Everything has become updated with computerized data bases such as volunteer hours and number of spaying and neutering performed. We can immediately pull up the numbers off the computer without shuffling through papers and books.”

Sconyers also noted that the Humane Society ceased its gaming operations effective July 1 because the expenses were more than the income made.

“We can’t continue operate without cutting down on our expenses,” Sconyers told members. “On the other hand, we have received two corporate sponsors already – that is our income.”

Furthermore, Sconyers told members that the Humane Society’s goal is to reach 15 businesses a week to try to gain more corporate members.

“We’re going to hit it hard and start hitting the streets,” Sconyers said. “Corporate membership is a huge drive for the Humane Society’s future.”

Sconyers encourages any member or anybody who wants to get involved with the Humane Society who has an idea to bring to the table is welcome and also encourages people to visit the shelter.

“There is no idea too bizarre,” Sconyers said. “If it works, it works,”

“The Humane Society is getting there,” she added. “We hope people notice when they enter.”

Vanessa Carns, a staff member with the Souris Valley Humane Society, takes time out to play with one of the many dogs available for adoption at the Humane Society. Currently there are more than 150 animals that are on a waiting list to to come into the shelter for adoption. To resolve this problem, pet match, has been implemented by the Humane Society to allow owners who are giving away their animals a way to display that their animal is up for adoption as the pet is on the waiting list waiting to enter the Humane Society. The program allows the waiting member to send in a picture and their bio of their pet to be posted on the Humane’s Society Web site at (www.svhspets.com) to show that they’re also available for adoption.