Every year, the Floyd County Humane Society rescues hundreds of animals, like a litter of young cats it found near a dumpster.
“It was getting close to winter, they were starving, and they didn’t have any food,” said Crystal Belcher, a volunteer with the Floyd County Humane Society.
With no centralized shelter, the group relies on volunteers like Belcher and Marvin Elgin to act as foster parents until a permanent home can be found.
“There’s not a lot of foster people to help take care of the animals,” said Belcher. “And there’s just so many animals.”
With their own home filling up with animals, they and the Humane Society are building a small shelter on their property where the cats they take in can stay. With limited funds, they’re doing the best they can to stay within budget.
“Every dollar we save can go towards feeding, spaying and neutering, and the well being of the animals,” said Elgin.
That’s especially the case for the linoleum flooring the shelter requires. While safe for the animals and easy to disinfect, the material can cost upwards of $1,000 a roll.
Wanting to lend a helping hand, a flooring business in Christiansburg offered the group a deep discount on a roll of solid, white linoleum. Belcher and Elgin picked it up last Tuesday evening. Afterwards, they stopped at the Lowe’s in Christiansburg to pick up a few more supplies. When they got back to their truck, the linoleum was gone.
“We were angry, but not for the fact that they stole the linoleum,” said Elgin. “They were stealing from the animals.”
They reported the incident to Christiansburg Police, but say the officer told them it would be difficult to catch anyone without a witness coming forward.
The Humane Society has since shelled out more money to buy a replacement roll. They hope sharing their story will help convince someone to step up with information – or at least let the thief know it’s the animals this crime has truly hurt.
If you have any information you’re asked to call Christiansburg Police at (540) 382-3131.
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