It’s important for local animal shelters and humane societies to work together to provide care for the animals in their respective facilities. That’s what happened recently in Columbus County, North Carolina, and while not necessarily a “newsworthy” story, it shows how community animal care representatives should work together.

The Columbus Humane Society donated a brand new GE washer and dryer set to the Columbus County Animal Shelter. While washing and dryer clothes may not at first seem like a task for the animal shelter, shelter staff find washing towels, blankets and cat hammocks an everyday chore. The shelter averages four to five loads of laundry every day, seven days a week.
Shelter Direct Joey Prince is grateful for the donation stating
“Our washer died and our dryer was on its last leg, but purchasing new equipment is a challenge if we are to stay within our budget. It would be impossible to overstate how much we appreciate this gift. Not only did we get new appliances, they are of a much better quality than what we had before. It should greatly cut down on the amount of time it takes us to complete this task. On behalf of our shelter residents and staff the Columbus Humane Society is our hero and has our most heartfelt thanks”
Shelter workers had been relying on an ancient residential washer and dryer to wash blankets and often the laundry would pile up due to slow cycles. Replacement of the two would have cost the shelter over $1000.
That’s when Buzzy Stafford and the members of the CHS stepped in and saved the day. The Humane society paid for and had delivered the washer and dryer. They even assisted in the set up of the new appliances. Both are operating well, and are being used to catch up on a lot of dirty blankets and towels. (Shelter staff had voluntarily taken laundry home to do in their own washers while the shelter was without a working washer)
The Columbus Humane Society is a group of volunteers dedicated to providing a safe, loving, and permanent home for all companion animals. More information on the society is available at their website http://www.columbushumanesociety.org/
Mr. Stafford can be reached at 910-499-1148 if any of you would like to thank him personally. Thanks also go out to the shelter staff who performed this task on their own time until the appliances were replaced.
Animal advocates, should you get a new washer and dryer by choice and not a necessity (as in upgrade), please check with your local animal shelter or rescue organizations and ask if they’re in need of your old ones. When I made my last “move” I donated my appliances to a domestic violence women’s shelter. Organizations are always in need of washers, dryers, and refrigerators. It never hurts to check around.
Elisa
Joey sends me everything that goes on there. The shelter has really improved, thanks to him and his staff and volunteers (especially those who run the Facebook dog and cat pages)
Thanks for a Good Samaritan story.