Animal lovers looking for an opportunity to help the Mexico Animal Shelter can volunteer their time there, as the shelter seeks volunteers. 

Volunteers play a critical role in helping the staff. Volunteers must be 16 and over, and the city pays for a background check. Anyone who wants to volunteer at the shelter may come to Mexico City Hall and pick up the forms to fill out. A prospective volunteer must pass a background check.

The shelter currently has two full-time employees and three part-time employees, said Jeff Williams, lead animal control officer and shelter supervisor. Weekends are a time that especially needs volunteers.

“We appreciate volunteer help, and it always does go quite far,” Williams said. 

The shelter needs help around the shelter and assisting with the dogs, such as exercising them. People may also perform other duties, such as cleaning kennels, and can take care of other miscellaneous duties around the shelter, including dishes or laundry, Williams said.

Audrain Humane Society pays for spaying and neutering for adoptions. The city covers rabies vaccinations.

As of Monday, there were 23 cats and around 25-28 dogs at the shelter, Williams said. A fencing project was completed in July, with the fencing enabling direct access from where the dogs are kept inside to outside in the exercise yard. 

In the city budget approved last week by the Mexico City Council, city officials plan to use some of the designated estate donation funds for acoustic sound proofing, flooring improvements and cage replacements in the animal shelter. City officials would eventually like to re-do the layout in the facility, should funding become available.   

Marilyn Niekamp, president of the Audrain Humane Society board, said that her organization is separate from but supports the animal shelter, such as through adoption events and fundraisers. Adoption costs at the shelter are $35 for cats and $50 for the dogs, and spaying and neutering comes with the adoption fee. The animals are not chipped at the shelter, as that process must be conducted elsewhere, such as a veterinarian clinic. 

The humane society has a website that posts animals that can be adopted, with adoption information posted along with a bio and characteristics of animals at https://www.audrainhumanesociety.org/