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Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesCookie Sale to Benefit St. Croix Animal Welfare Center

Cookie Sale to Benefit St. Croix Animal Welfare Center

The St. Croix Animal Welfare Center is in a financial crisis and needs immediate cash, volunteers and foster parents for animals waiting for adoption, according to the president of the board.

“It costs the shelter approximately $10 per day per animal for food and shelter,” Mike Meluskey said in a press release Wednesday. “The small amount of money received from the government for animal control does not cover the costs to control the stray animal population on St. Croix.”

“We can no longer operate the shelter in this financial position,” Meluskey said.

One way the public can help is to support the annual holiday cookie sale Thursday evening at the Blue Mutt. The shop is a nonprofit retail store on Company Street, Christiansted. All of the store’s profits benefit the animal welfare center, according to Laura Ballard, Blue Mutt co-manager.

Meluskey said the animal center, known by many as the “animal shelter,” is charged with animal control, and that every trip to pick up a stray animal costs $20. He said 15-20 animals are picked up every day.

Meluskey’s statement appealed for donations, volunteers at the shelter and volunteers to help with fundraising events.

To keep down overpopulation, more responsible animal owners who spay and neuter their pets are important, Meluskey said, adding that adoptable animals need temporary foster homes until permanent homes are located.

For Thursday’s event at the Blue Mutt, cookie “elves” will be busy sorting and packaging home baked cookies for holiday shoppers to raise funds for the Animal Welfare Center and some of its programs.

This is the fifth annual cookie sale and according Ballard, 20 bakers have donated at least three dozen cookies each for the sale. Shoppers will be able to select individual confections from many shapes and flavors. The elves – shelter staff and volunteers – will box up a baker’s dozen for a $20 donation.

In addition to cookies, there will be other ways to donate to the animal welfare center Thursday, including the program to send rescued animals to stateside shelters and new homes. Coloring books for sale will benefit The Humane Education program to continue its educational program in St. Croix schools.

Patrons can also donate money to pay for a spay/neuter surgery, food and other necessities.

The Blue Mutt will be filled with pet toys, collars, treats, books and jewelry, paintings and other art from local artists – all for sale. The artists are paid a commission and donate “a large part” of the sales price to animal welfare, Ballard said.

“We all help. It’s really important we all work together,” Ballard said.

On Thursday, special guests will include pets available for adoption.

Since the event is being held on Art Thursday, special exhibits by artists Jane Akin and Melinda Scott will fill the back gallery.

During the rest of the year, the gallery is used for arts and crafts classes to benefit the animal shelter.

“It’s a great way to reach out to the community and let people know we are here,” Ballard said.

There is a list at the Blue Mutt of upcoming classes that will begin in January, including collage, acrylics, recycled art and Spanish. Ballard said any teacher who wants to use the Blue Mutt for classes can pay a small rental fee to benefit the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center.

Blue Mutt is a 501 c(3) organization and co-managers Ballard and Asha Colianni are volunteers like the rest of the staff.

A flea market in Estate Richmond also raises money for the Animal Welfare Center and, on Saturday, they will host a hotdog and holiday sale.

The major fundraiser, the annual Fur Ball, is being planned for late March or early April, Ballard said.

Founded in 1973, the St Croix Animal Welfare Center promotes the humane treatment of animals in the St. Croix community through humane education, animal protection and community service.

For more information on an upcoming membership drive, pet adoption or other services, contact AWC at 778-1650 or www.stcroixawc.org.

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