Staying Alive Into 2025

Leavenworth County Humane Society is the only organization working to build and operate a 21st century no-kill pet animal shelter to serve all Leavenworth County residents.

With a revitalized Board of Directors as well as a brand new Fundraising Committee, the Humane Society is on a trajectory by which in some months we can hope to independently sustain our $27,000 per month budget. However, we have hit a major roadblock, and need the help and support of not only our local community but animal-lovers across the globe to help accomplish our mission and get us through the rest of 2024.

The Challenge:

We have successfully renegotiated our contracts with Basehor and Lansing. However, 60% of our animals are from areas where the Sheriff is the Animal Control Authority. The county Sheriff has refused to renegotiate our contract to reflect this rise in demand. They currently provide us with $1474per month: this is just 5% of our overall needs, and much less than the share of costs the county incurs. We have sent a notice to the Sheriff that our contract will soon be terminated--this will likely cause long-term problems throughout the county if we cannot renegotiate. In the meantime, we must continue to provide services for the animals currently in our care. We are struggling to make payroll, and need help immediately. We currently house 65 cats and 27 dogs and are working to maintain our excellent quality of services.

What we are doing:

Our Fundraising Committee has raised thousands of dollars by organizing events, which have included: restaurant fundraisers, a volleyball tournament, a pumpkin-decorating contest, BUNCO games, silent auctions, yard sales, community events, and more. Our Board of Directors has been working on a corporate sponsorship program as well as planned giving. We have even started partnering with a local business to sell products such as kitten-painted ornaments.

What we need:

Our first need is monetary contributions. However, if you cannot contribute, please SHARE far and wide. We fear that we have tapped out local donors, and are hoping to connect with others across the country and world. If you are local, you can also volunteer or adopt one of the dogs or cats in our care, or share their listing with someone you know. Lastly, please follow us on social media to hear more about our mission, meet some of our animals, and find other ways to contribute.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your enduring support.