Nestled next to a small pond and some lush Indiana woods sits a small, white metal building. When one pulls up to the parking lot, you can instantly hear the sound of happily barking dogs resounding from inside. This was the Greene County Humane Society of Linton, Indiana - a non-profit and independent organization that depends wholly on donations.
Walking through the front door, one is greeted by a clean, calm atmosphere: someone is assembling a dog bed in one corner of the room, others are organizing some paperwork. The staff greeted us with friendly smiles and welcomes. We were here today as representatives from Rebel Herbs to donate dog food and supplies - and also to find out more about how we (and others) could help support this local shelter.
The Greene County Humane Society has been around since the 1980s, but it wasn’t always an efficient presence in the community. However, five years ago, new management was put into place. Now, the Humane Society has four dedicated employees who have worked hard to refocus the shelter’s mission statement and rebuild its reputation.
“We are focused on finding the right person for our animals,” shared Social Media Coordinator and Kennel Manager Larissa Tripp, “We are a low kill shelter - which means that we only euthanize when medically necessary. We do not process adoptions on a first-come, first-served basis. If I feel like you’re off, or if your and the animal’s personalities don’t match, I might reject the application or help find you an animal that’s more compatible.”
This method has proven successful for all parties over the years. “We have a very low return rate,” Tripp stated proudly, “because we are not about numbers or money. We are wanting to connect people and animals and put families together.”
One can immediately tell that Tripp is extremely passionate about helping the animals that she cares for. "It's a 24/7 job,” she stated with a tear in her eye, “I come by on days off, in the evenings, whenever I can. I do whatever I can for these animals. I love them. They are like my family."
Additionally, the shelter also provides many services, including microchipping on site and helping those in need. The microchip fee is kept low for affordability, both the service and the lifetime registration only costs $20 - much lower than anywhere else nearby. They also have dog and cat food for those in need. “If your house burns down, if you lose your job, whatever it is - we are always here to help,” Tripp offered.
That being said, it is also important to keep in mind that the shelter runs solely on donations. “We always need supplies,” Tripp continued, “We had a high number of intakes in August, and a record high number of intakes the month before."
At the end of this month, a seven acre lot of hiking trails is scheduled to open with a “Haunted Trails” Halloween event. Located right next to the Greene County Humane Society, the “Waggin’ Trails” was created and donated from local Greene County resident, Rick West. The trails will be open to the public to walk personal dogs, as well as a way for Humane Society workers and volunteers to walk the shelter’s dogs. It would also help serve as a way for a potential adopter get to know the potential adoptee.
“There are many ways for people to support us,” Tripp explained, “They can sponsor an adoption fee, walk or play with the animals, clean the kennels or outdoor space, help clear the brush and foliage from Waggin’ Trails, or even just sit and spend some time with the dogs in their kennels. We have a recliner that people can use for that purpose.” Tripp expressed her appreciation for every volunteer, “Even if it’s just 10 minutes, it makes a world of difference not only for us workers, but for all the animals here”.
The Greene County Humane Society is working with many organizations, such as the Indy Mega, Pets Alive, and out of state rescue projects - programs that help with adoptions, spaying and neutering. They also plan on participating in the PetsMart adoption events in the near future.
Our corporate leadership at Rebel Herbs has always sought to support local charities and give back to our communities in Indiana (where our corporate office is located). As a company, we strongly believe in helping those in need, and encourage everyone to help others in any way that they can - be it donating, volunteering, tutoring, or simply being kind to one another.
If you would like to donate to the Greene County Humane Society, they are always in need of: Purina or Pedigree dog food (Large breed, small breed, and puppy), Purina cat food (multi-age), scoopable cat litter, cat litter deodorizer and baking soda, Busy Bones and Dental Bones, all sizes of nylon clasp collars, flea and tick shampoo (for both cats and dogs), pine-sol, fabuloso, paper towels, laundry soap, potty training pads, as well as towels, wash rags, and blankets.
Greene County Humane Society
1026 N Atlas Rd, Linton, IN 47441
(812) 847-4780
Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am-3 pm
*Editor's note: By the time of publication, Nasa was adopted, and Duke and Rebel had entered another rescue program.