Benson Animal Shelter receives new shed for cats

HSSA teamed up with Rural Southern Arizona Animal Shelters and Best Friends Animal Society to provide funds for sheds that benefit animals at the Benson and Willcox shelters. The sheds at both locations were dedicated through grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremonies on Friday. Through this collaborative program, the mission is to save the lives of more dogs and cats entering shelter care with a goal of achieving a 90% save rate in Benson, Willcox and Douglas shelters, as well as those in Santa Cruz County.

In his welcoming remarks, Benson Mayor Joe Konrad praised the HSSA and Best Friends partnership that made the new “cat house” a reality.

“These organizations recognized the city’s need for an additional shelter to house cats and kittens and provided us with a large multipurpose, air-conditioned shed to fulfill this need at no cost to the city,” Konrad said. “The city of Benson appreciates the generosity of these organizations and looks forward to continued partnerships to better the outcomes of every cat and dog that passes through our shelter.”

Konrad also thanked HSSA Chief Executive Officer Steve Farley for reaching out and offering assistance to the Benson facility as well as animal shelters throughout Cochise County.

He recognized the efforts of Benson Animal Control Officer Tammy Marble and Police Sergeant Molly Ingram for enhancing conditions at the shelter, thereby greatly improving the well-being of animals under their care.

“The difficult and worthwhile work these ladies do on behalf of animals, oftentimes in states of neglect and poor health, is commendable,” the mayor continued. “The pets with whom we share our homes enrich our lives and teach us the importance of responsibility, compassion, companionship and love.”

Farley praised the dedication and passion of all those who work on behalf of animals, often in the face of challenges posed by limited resources. He spoke of how vital collaborations between animal-related organizations are when it comes to improving the welfare of animals.

“We (HSSA) have been transporting animals from Cochise County shelters to the Tucson shelter to give them a second chance at getting adopted,” he said. “When you have a community that embraces pets and wants to help like this one, that makes all of this so worthwhile.”

Farley mentioned another collaborative effort, as the HSSA and Bisbee Animal Shelter are building a shelter in Bisbee. The project has received $1.1 million in federal funds to design and remodel a vacant county building into a shelter that will be managed by HSSA. The creation of this full-service shelter will serve pets throughout Southeast Arizona.

Marble, a former veterinary technician who started working as the Benson Animal Shelter Supervisor in January, said the new cat house is something the shelter desperately needed.

“Prior to this, the cats were in a crowded, dark concrete room in cages, right next to the dog kennels,” she said. “Here, they’re in an air conditioned and heated shed with room to play, socialize and visit with people who are interested in adopting a cat. I think this new addition is going to make a huge difference in our adoption rate because people who come here can actually observe the cats in a more natural environment. We’re so grateful to have this wonderful addition to our shelter.”

The shelter’s four volunteers — Mary Edwards, Brenda Zaun, Kathi Brown and Mark Marble — were recognized at the dedication ceremony for the hours they give to the animals.

“This new cat house is awesome,” Zaun said. “It’s a huge improvement for the cats. They’re finally in a quiet environment where people can visit them and the cats can play. It’s wonderful for the cats and it’s better for the person who is interested in adopting. This is a long overdue addition to our animal shelter.”