Humane Society of Pulaski County

The Humane Society of Pulaski County in Little Rock has come a long way since its inception in 1946.

Sixty years ago, it was managing the care of homeless animals in the homes of volunteers; it now has a 25,000-SF facility that includes an on-site clinic that provides medical care, sterilizations and preventive care to every animal it takes in.

“We also operate an active abuse-investigation program that educates and prosecutes offenders,” said Kay Simpson Jordan, director of the Humane Society. “All these services are provided to the community solely on private donations.”

Last year the nonprofit placed more than 1,500 animals in homes on top of seeing an influx of homeless pets due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but it does not house more than 200 at a time.

The Humane Society prides itself on being a “true no-kill” nonprofit shelter, which means healthy or treatable animals are never killed just to make space for new animals.

“Once animals are admitted, they stay until we find good homes for them,” Jordan said.

The shelter operates on an average annual budget of about $590,000 — about 75 percent from private donations and fundraising, and the remaining 25 percent from adoption fees and membership dues.

The Humane Society’s success relies heavily on fundraising projects, and last year the nonprofit found a winner with its Day Planner drive.

The Day Planner is a stylized bound calendar produced by a committee of volunteers that features photos of pets at the shelter. The 2005 planner’s inaugural effort raised $55,000 for the Humane Society. The 2006 planner did even better, raising $65,000.

Jordan said the Human Society added a large outdoor exercise and play area for the dogs last year.