Isolation Care Unit facility opens at Humane Society of Southeast MO

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - Dozens of people came out for the ribbon cutting event to announce the new addition of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

A separate building called the Isolation Care Unit is now ready for patients.

Charlotte Craig, the humane society board chairman, said it's a great addition that will help out the animals.

"Whenever we have animals that start exhibiting illness, upper respiratory infection, we will be able to take that animal out of the population and put it into what we call the Isolation Care Unit or ICU," Craig explained.

Craig said this will allow animals to recuperate away from the other animals when they have a bad sickness that could be contagious; something that could lead to avoid death to animals.

"Cats are famous for an upper respiratory infection. Now we have a place to put the cats that have that and keep the away from the general population. This facility will actually save lives," Craig added.

The facility was a two-year project that cost $30,000 to complete.

Nestlé Purina Pet Care donated the $30,000 for the project. They wanted to get involved in their local community to help out the animals.

"We are very passionate about pets and also very passionate about getting involved in communities where we have a local presence," Christy Frauenhoffer, Nestlé Purina Pet Care Senior Community Affairs Specialist said. "When we heard about the opportunity for the expansion unit, we kind of jumped on it and thought this would be a wonderful investment."

Frauenhoffer echoed Craig stating that it's very important to keep these pets healthy so they can live a better life and more families can enjoy the company of their furry friends.

"We know it's extremely important for pets who are going to be adopted that they are as happy and healthy as can be before they go to their forever families," Frauenhoffer added.

Craig added that they have been striving to be a no-kill facility. For dogs, they are at a 90 percent adoption-return to owner or rescue rate. She also stated that 90 percent is considered across the animal rescue world is a no kill facility.

"For cats, we've gone, in two years time, from a 30 percent adoption-return to owner rescue rate to a 52 percent," Craig added. "This will help us increase those percentages even more than that."

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri plans on making more improvements and extensions. They already have a lot cleared and plans in the works for an additional building.

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