Nearly all strays find homes

McCOOK, Neb. — Ninety-eight percent of the strays brought into the McCook Humane Society are adopted.

The 2% not adopted have severe behavior issues, with the police having been involved in some incident, said Lorie Prestes, McCook Humane Society director, at Monday’s McCook City Council meeting.

The shelter has a very low kill rate, with most “surrendered by stray” animals adopted out, she said. “There’s a home for everybody,” Prestes said. Animals adopted from the shelter are micro-chipped, spayed or neutered and have been vaccinated, as “We don’t leave it to the owner anymore, it wasn’t getting done,” she said. The shelter has seen a recent bump in strays brought in due to the July 4 fireworks.

She and McCook Humane Society board treasurer Joyce Anderson were on the agenda Monday night for a presentation on the new software program being used at the shelter. The program has been a game-changer, Anderson said, as it can track rabies vaccination history and other data from dogs brought to the shelter with tags or microchips.

The computer program became accessible online this winter and as more data is plugged in, the recognition of pets will become easier, Anderson said.

Prestes said the program is helpful for when she gets those 3 a.m. calls, she can pick up her phone and go online immediately to identify animals.

Prestes said communities outside McCook that donate funds to the shelter include Oberlin, Kan., Culbertson and Hitchcock County.

The City of McCook pays for utilities at the shelter and annually allocates funds, with $48,000 earmarked to the shelter in the 2020-21 general fund budget.

Also at Monday night’s meeting, the council designated Wednesday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m., at McCook Christian Church, for a community meeting concerning improvements at the city pool. Councilman Jared Muehlenkamp said the church has the audio-visual equipment needed and that childcare care would be available. The council first chose Aug. 5 for the meeting, but that was in conflict with a “Hot Summer Night” concert scheduled at Norris Park.

Kyle McCawley, an engineer with Lamp Rynearson of Omaha, Neb., who is working with the pool committee, will be present to coordinate the meeting. The pool committee recently met with McCawley and discussed topics concerning a city swimming pool, such as potential amenities, locations, and groups impacted by a swimming pool project.