Officials with the City of Hopkinsville, Christian County Fiscal Court and the Christian County Regional Animal Shelter had plenty to celebrate early Tuesday morning, when they joined together to announce the community’s recent designation as “pet-friendly city” from the Better Cities For Pets program.
Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam noted the nod recognizes the ongoing efforts of the shelter and its director, Melissa Goff, and helps bring future access to animal care related grants from the Commonwealth.
Goff and her staff have the charge of accepting wide-ranging in-take from Trigg, Christian and Todd counties, and find themselves not only working through scores of weekly adoptions, but also abandoned and lost animals across the communities.
She said the certification confirmed Hopkinsville’s efforts to welcome pets, offer pet-friendly programs and keeping pets and their families together during “tough times.”
In order to earn this honor, Goff said Hopkinsville had to meet several benchmarks related to the shelter, as well as home, parks and businesses. The “Get ‘Em Done” program, which encourages spay and neuter efforts both at the shelter and through south western Kentucky, also played a role.
Goff also noted that, in the coming weeks, this message will be promoted through other avenues…especially through a planned event at the shelter.
Pet homelessness has been a growing concern not only in the city, but in the county, and Goff has iterated several times during fiscal court sessions the need for additional resources.
MORE INFO: https://www.klc.org/News/12494/better-cities-for-pets-program—due-aug-16
In other court news:
— Hopkinsville-Christian County Human Rights Commission Executive Director Raychel Farmer confirmed the next couple of months will be rather crammed for the non-profit organization.
October’s “Supper Club,” in conjunction with the Museums of Hopkinsville-Christian County, is set for 6 PM Thursday. It’s $10 a person, and Farmer said “a good cook” from the Hopkinsville Fire Department is bringing their love of Italian to the table.
On November 22, she said the Civil Rights Hall of Fame will be in Hopkinsville for a 10 AM board meeting and 2 PM lunch at the Bruce Convention Center.
