From left are CJ's Bottle Return co-owner Kathy Warr, Potsdam Humane Society board member Amber Lindsey, and CJ's co-owners Carol Fries and John Fries. Amber holds CJ's special dog canister, in which people may donate the proceeds from bottle returns. These donations provide the funds needed to finance the shelter's spay-neuter program.

 
POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Humane Society has special dog-shaped collection canisters in many local for all of the spaying and neutering of the animals at the animal shelter. The collections are a significant supplement to the regular donations that North Country citizens make to keep the local shelter operating.

“The income from the canisters is placed in a special account that is designated to pay for veterinary services related to spaying and neutering all animals adopted from the shelter,” said Anne Smith, executive director at PHS. “Having this special fund from which to draw eases the task of finding funds for the remainder of the budget. Without the canister money, I don’t know what we would do. It would be a financial nightmare for us!”

There are 21 canisters in businesses in Potsdam, Canton, West Stockholm, Norwood, Norfolk, Madrid, Colton and other contracted townships.

• Potsdam: Potsdam Agway, Potsdam Food Coop, Misty Hollow, Kinney Drugs, T & R Liquors and Wines, CJ’s Bottle Return, Best Friends, Jernabi’s Coffee Shop, The Body Shop, Scoop’s, Argent’s, Blevin’s Motors, Best Friends, North Country Neighbors, Evan’s and White’s Hardware

• Canton: SLU Brewer Bookstore, Kinney’s, American Theater, The Cascade, Blackbird Café

• and the Madrid Hometown Café, Norwood Hometown Café, Al Smith’s Superette in Norfolk, and the Village Market in West Stockholm

“Every penny in those canisters is used just for spaying and neutering companion animals that will be placed in loving homes in the North Country and beyond” says Amber Lindsey, PHS board member, who collects the Potsdam area canisters each month. “We are working to reduce the numbers of unwanted dogs and cats in our area. We may be the only area business trying to put ourselves out of business! Fat chance of that happening, unfortunately!”

End of year donations, which are income tax deductible, may also be sent to the Potsdam Humane Society at 17 Madrid Avenue in the village of Potsdam, or by Paypal on line at potsdamhumanesociety.org, or by Direct Bill Pay, through your bank or credit union.

The shelter is open for visits to the animals from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday.