Hospital Employees Help Animal Shelter

December 4, 2017 9:01 am Published by Magnolia Regional Health Center

The Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter is concluding a very successful year, full of providing outstanding care for the animals they house and improving several much-needed areas of the facility. This year, they gained a little bit of assistance in doing so.

As the result of an earlier vote in the year, which polls employees on which specific cause they would like to raise personal money for, Magnolia Regional Health Center employees voted the Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter as the charity of choice to help with fundraising efforts. Throughout the year, employees of MRHC have planned events, coordinated fundraisers, and competed against other hospital departments all to raise money to help the local shelter. All donations and monies raised were given solely by employees and individuals in the community.

“Each year, the volunteers and staff at the animal shelter must raise about $100,000 to provide the necessary medical and housing care  for the large numbers of dogs and cats brought to us. The donations we received from the employees at Magnolia helped us reach our goal and helped us to provide extra care like heartworm treatment and surgical procedures to save lives,” said Charlotte Doehner, Volunteer Shelter Director at Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter. “We also were able to transport over 200 dogs to their new homes in other states. We are so grateful to each and every person who donated their time and money, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”

By year’s end, MRHC will have raised $30,000 for the local shelter. With many animal health maintenance and building improvement needs, the shelter was able to use the money to save several animals’ lives and to better the conditions for the ones that are housed in the community now.

According to Doehner, the donations from the hospital have helped to meet the following needs:

·         Purchased new clothes dryer

·         Purchased seven new fans to cool animals inside and outside

·         Purchased four new air conditioners

·         Purchased one new heating system

·         Repaired eleven kennels that were unusable

·         Had wiring inspected and repaired after ceiling fell in

·         Purchased eight new dog houses

·         Purchased ten new breakdown and play cages

·         Replaced and added electrical wiring and sockets for lights and heat lamps

·         Replaced floor in birthing room and replaced cage enclosure

·         Painted bathroom floors

·         Repaired plumbing leaks

·         Ordered new bathtub for animals

·         Replenished medicine and maintained appropriate levels

·         Gave dogs and cats preventative shots (over 1,400)

·         Heartworm tested over 250 animals and treated 46 dogs for heartworms

·         Provided heartworm preventative for all dogs over 6 months of age

·         Provided vet care for 26 animals with severe injuries

·         Provided vet care for 19 puppies with parvo

·         Treated 31 dogs for mange

·         Treated 19 cats for respiratory conditions

·         Treated 6 cats for pancreatitis

·         Provided prenatal care and follow-up care for 17 moms and babies

·         Assisted with transportation costs (resulting in saving 234 puppies and 179 mature dogs)

·         Help to modify donated van for animal rescue

·         Changed/upgraded animal tracking system that will automatically provide information on shelter pets across the country to increase adoptions

“Our organization is truly filled with individuals who are compassionate and caring for others,” said Ronny Humes, CEO at Magnolia Regional Health Center. “This employee-led initiative has really made an impact on the local shelter, and I commend all of our team for doing such a great thing for our community.”

Each year, MRHC employees are asked to nominate organizations to be considered. Once the organizations are finalized, an invitation to our Charity Fair Event is sent out to each organization nominated.  The charities are asked to tell MRHC employees how their organization affects the hospital’s seven county service area. Once the fair concludes, the employees vote on and select which one will be our charity MRHC will support for the year.  The nominations for 2018 are closed and include the following:

·         JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)

·         Alzheimer’s Foundation

·         Pine Vale Children’s Home

·         Amen Pantry

·         Living Free Ministries: Addiction Recovery

·         OASIS Resource Center for Women

·         St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

·         Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

·         The United Way

·         C.H.A.M.P.

·         Wounded Warrior

If any organization would like to be considered for 2019, please contact an MRHC employee to be nominated.

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This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center