Ponca City Humane Society

The Ponca City Humane Society (PCHuS) began its humble roots in 1958 as a one woman Humane Society. Anne Deton, animal advocate, took over in 1968 and by 1975 PCHuS was incorporated as a non-profit. Our shelter was built in 1992. We continue to be dedicated to improve the lives of companion animals in our community and finding permanent and loving adoptive homes for the cats and dogs in our care. We provide a safe haven for animals in transition, serve as advocates for animals and their people, work to end animal overpopulation and educate the public about compassion and responsibility towards all animals. Our shelter is a No-Kill facility where all incoming animals are evaluated, medically treated and rehabilitated when needed and then placed up for adoption. I became the Executive Director in March of 2012. I bring with me 4 degrees including a Masters. I have worked at multiple day veterinary practices, worked at the Kansas Humane Society, and still currently employed PRN at the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Wichita, KS. I accepted this position as a way to help a larger amount of animals in need. Since March 2012 I have increased adoptions from 189 annually to 374 in 2012. This year we are projected to save 400 animals. I logged 25,000 miles on my vehicle with transports (moving animals to other rescues in other states). I have collaborations with rescues in MN, KS, CO, and IL. I network other animals in need as well. I do outreach programs to church groups, schools and clubs and I am a foster parent. Why I do what I do is wonderful question to ask. I do this because it is what I was put here to do. It is my calling, it is what I am passionate about. I can not imagine doing anything else. I have a story I always like to tell when I explain what I do what I do. Seven years ago, 2007, I was working at a day practice where a litter of kittens were dropped off. All were adopted except one lone black kitten. I decided that instead of this kitten spending the weekend alone, I would take it home with me for the weekend. I can not express the life changing experience that happened that Saturday. I fell in love with this kitten. Don't get me wrong, I have cared for animals since I was a child but something happened that evening that changed the course of what will ultimately be my life's mission. This kitten, named Tecate, became my first foster failure. I discovered that following morning that he was born only 3 blocks from where I lived. He was surrendered to a practice that was outside of the city I lived in. I call this fate. Destiny brought me this cat, destiny told me to take this kitten home, and destiny showed me in this kitten what I was to do with the life, rescue. Since that faithful weekend, I have rescued almost 500 animals on my own. I do not own a home, I do not have many earthly possessions, I just bought a new car last year for transporting purposes but I had a vehicle that I called "Old Faithful". That beauty had over 200,000 miles but it was paid for and still ran decent. I have spend thousands of dollars on animals that were never going to be mine but I would spend every cent again if that meant that animals found that forever home. This year alone, I adopted a dying Rottweiler that I rescued off the highway. What I mean by adopted is that he was in our program but sadly had become infected with Canine Influenza while fighting for his life in a rural OK highway for weeks. We are a small organization with limited funding but when he was dying at the local vet, I adopted him and took him to Wichita to the Veterinary Specialty Hospital to try to save him. Sadly after a week of endoscopies to clear out his lungs, spending the entire time in an oxygen chamber, he deteriorated. That Friday when I went to KS to see how he was doing, he looked me in the eyes and told me to let him go. I did. I gave him that peace that he needed. Even though he did not survive, I feel he felt the love and compassion I gave him. He didn't die alone on the streets, he went peacefully with someone who cared for him. The money I spent, the whole $2000, was worth it. I gave him that chance and I showed him that there are good people out there. My family, my friends, my colleagues know that I wouldn't be me if I didn't have a kitten at home that I was fostering, or networking 'til 2am to save a dog. So back to the question: Why you do it? Because it is what I was put on this Earth to do.

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