By Ed Simmons, Jr.
cpreporter@lcs.net
The dogs and cats now languishing at the Caroline Animal Shelter would been pleased to know that a big effort was made Tuesday to stir up interest in adopting pets from shelters. The event was "Adopt a Shelter Pet Stamp Day" at Ladysmith Post Office, with three tents set up, and where animal control officers Sergeant J.C. Heffler and Deputies M.E. Bullock and R.O. Carty displayed posters of photographs of shelter dogs and cats in need of homes.
Meanwhile, Postmaster Todd Leake and his wife Susan had a special display selling the new "Adopt a Shelter Pet" stamps. About 4,000 have already been sold at Ladysmith since the stamps first went on sale April 30, said the postmaster. Cheering everyone on was the Caroline Humane Society, with treasurer Arlene Mills and board member Vicky Grier manning a table, her husband Ken Grier close at hand. The event was the brainchild of Caroline Humane member Susan Hafey and Postmaster Leake.
And so, as the new pet stamps travel on letters throughout the nation, the message will spread: Adopt your next pet at the shelter! Postmaster Todd Leake reminds Caroline that this Saturday is the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association's "Stamp Out Hunger" Day. Be sure to set out non-perishable food in bags by your mailbox for the letter carriers to pick up and take back to the post office for distribution to food banks.