By John Howell

The Panola County Humane Society has placed 137 unwanted dogs in transport for adoption to date in 2013. Before the year is over, PCHS is likely to transport 300 dogs, spokesman Yvonne Taylor told Batesville city officials during their Tuesday meeting.

Taylor appeared before the First Tuesday meeting of the city’s mayor and aldermen to request $2,500 to help buy medicines PCHS volunteers use to care for dogs in the city’s pound.

Aldermen readily agreed to renew the annual agreement with PCHS and also heard a report on the Society’s activities.

PCHS placed 182 dogs in transport during 2012, she said. Through the program local PCHS volunteers provide foster homes for unwanted dogs while the animals are spayed or neutered and undergo a regimen of shots to assure that they will be healthy once adopted by permanent owners. The dogs are then transported — usually to destinations in northeastern states where national animal adoption organizations have matched the unwanted Panola dogs to who have been screened and who pay to cover the expenses accrued in the adoption process.

In January PCHS received a $15,000 grant to help fund a low cost spay/neuter program, “which was for companion dogs only, …, not for our foster dogs,” she said.

“We’ve started to expand the scope of our work to help people out in the county,” Taylor said. “Some pretty sad stories come from there. We’re trying to help as many people as we can.”

Since January, 67 dogs have been spayed or neutered through that funding, she said.

“We also received $6,000 from the I Care tag program,” Taylor continued, funds used for spaying and neutering of cats and dogs, she said.

“Racing for Paws had the most racers we’ve ever had, which was good,” Taylor said. Proceeds from the Springfest Saturday morning 5K run go to PCHS support.

Taylor described the extensive inventory of medicine and canine products purchased using the funds provided by the city.

 “It takes a lot to keep these dogs healthy,” she said.

Contacted after Tuesday’s meeting, Taylor said that the city’s expenditure pays for a portion of the canine medicines and health products.

PCHS meets at 5:30 p.m. each second Tuesday in the Barkery inside the Sweet Shop on the Batesville Square. Volunteers are needed, she said, including volunteers to provide temporary, foster homes to dogs in the transport project.