EDEN — One thousand three hundred sixty-six (1,366). That is the number of shelter dogs and cats that had to be euthanized in Rockingham County in 2022.
Friends of Eden Animal Rescue will recognize Remember Me Thursday and light luminaries in honor of these animals at 6 p.m. September 28 at Grogan Park in Eden. The community is invited to attend (no cost) and/or sponsor luminaries. Remember Me Thursday, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of every September, is an international social media awareness day that shines a light on the millions of orphan pets waiting in shelters and remembers those pets who never got a second chance.
This is the ninth year Friends of Eden Animal Rescue has held a Remember Me Thursday ceremony. Each year organization leaders ask the sitting mayor to proclaim the fourth Thursday of September as Remember Me Thursday. This year, Mayor Hall will proclaim September 28th as Remember Me Thursday for the City of Eden at the September 19th City Council Meeting.
People are also reading…
“Because we support all Rockingham County pets in a variety of ways, we sent letters to each of the County’s city mayors requesting they do the same,” said Lisa Goldsworthy, director of Friends of Eden Animal Rescue.
Shelters and rescuers have historically been overwhelmed with dogs and cats that have been abandoned or abused, picked up as strays or surrendered to shelters. The shelter staff at the Rockingham County Animal shelter work diligently to find homes for all the animals, but that is not always possible.
“One serene and peaceful way to honor these wonderful animals is to light a candle to show respect and mourn the animals that were never able to make it out of the shelter,” Goldsworthy said. “All around the world, a candle-lighting ceremony will commence on this day – Remember Me Thursday.”
Ideally, Goldsworthy said they would love to be able to light 1,366 luminaries, one for each animal that did not get adopted in Rockingham County in 2022, but they will likely only light around 200. Members of Friends of Eden Animal Rescue and volunteers will light the luminaries, and a prayer for the animals will be offered by Madre Linda Nye from the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany. In the past, many people brought their leashed dogs to the event.
“Madre Linda is a strong supporter of our efforts, an animal lover herself and has offered the Remember Me Thursday prayer many times for Friends of Eden Animal Rescue,” Goldsworthy said.
Friends of Eden Animal Shelter/Animal Rescue was formed in 2014 and is dedicated to saving shelter animals in Rockingham County.
“We do this through networking with other rescues and potential adopters and use social media to network the animals for exposure to an owner seeking their lost pet, potential rescue organizations and adopters,” Goldsworthy said.
At the time Friends of Eden Animal Shelter/Animal Rescue was formed, Eden had an animal shelter, but it closed in 2016. Since the closure, all dogs/cats picked up by animal control within the City of Eden are now taken to the Rockingham County Animal Shelter.
In 2022, the Rockingham County Animal Shelter took in 1,445 dogs, adopted out 770, returned 309 to their owner, and euthanized 350. In addition, 2,164 cats were taken in, 1062 were adopted, 31 were returned to their owner, and 966 were euthanized.
“We are a small but mighty group of volunteers who all work full-time jobs, have families and have pets of our own,” Goldsworthy said of Friends of Eden Animal Rescue. “We invite the community to join us.”
Another project dear to her heart is a pet supplies pantry opened in 2020 by the organization. The organization has been inundated with requests for assistance since opening the pantry and have responded with deliveries and scheduled pickups of kibble, canned food, cat litter, toys, kennels, and dog houses.
“We distribute 250 pounds of dog food and 30 pounds of cat foot, supporting 23 dogs and seven cats each month on average,” Goldsworthy said. “That is a lot of kibbles and bits.”
Businesses and members of the community donate dry and wet dog and cat food, cat litter, and other supplies like blankets, leashes and toys that Friends of Eden Animal Rescue then donates to pet families in need.
In addition, the organization is hosting a fundraiser comedy night September 23 at Rio Grande in Eden with comedian Mick McKenna. Tickets are $20 each and reservations are required. Funds raised will support the spay/neuter program. Friends of Eden Animal Rescue is also creating a traveling rainbow bridge to take to events and is working to create a cat sanctuary, and they will hold their annual Santa’s Workshop November 18 to raise funds.
“Ideally, Friends of Eden Animal Shelter can assist with legislation to require spay/neuter by pet owners, reduce or eliminate backyard breeding and create a no-kill shelter,” Goldsworthy said. “These efforts are not small tasks and will require legislation, as well as legislator and law enforcement support, but they are tasks that are worth undertaking.”
They would also like to offer support to a K9 officer with a donation of pet armor in the future. Volunteers are also needed.
“We need everything from website designers to newsletter writers to cat/kitten care takers, fundraisers, pet food supply drives, and so much more,” Goldsworthy said.
She encourages the community to attend Remember Me Thursday on September 28 to light a candle and learn more about what Friends of Animal Rescue does and needs.